Solea vs. e.max crown: Lasering off bonded crowns
Bonded crowns can be a pain to remove. We’ve all had that frustrating appointment when we’ve cut the crown 6 different ways and still SOMEHOW a little chunk of bonded porcelain remains.
Enter a hard tissue laser - and in this case a ‘hard porcelain’ laser.
If you’ve got one of these lasers you can stop ruining your burs! Consider using your ever “sharp” laser to remove crowns. Specifically we’re talking about bonded e.max crowns here.
The case here involves a patient who fractured their existing e.max crown on the lingual margin.
We weren’t sure if the laser would simply break the resin bond between the crown and tooth OR if the laser would actually cut the porcelain.
The results?
BOTH. The Solea laser actually cuts right through e.max porcelain and the remaining crown halves dislodged without any hassle.
What were the laser settings and techniques used to remove a bonded crown?
First, we numbed the patient since the tooth was vital. For demonstration purposes, the ‘sectioning’ path was drawn in black Sharpie.
Second, we set the laser to 100% power, 1.0mm spot size and 13ml/min water
And then, fire in the hole!
As the porcelain started visibly being cut and dentin started to show, the power was backed down as to not cut into dentin.
Once there was a nice “slice” bisecting the crown, an excavator was used to dislodge both pieces.
Conclusion: Laser dentistry strikes again and is more than just fillings and soft tissue!
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