When I graduated from residency in Chicago, I had a vision of being able to provide the highest quality care in a setting that would make children happy to visit the dentist. After spending time learning from some great mentors in a variety of practice settings, I was ready to make my vision a reality.
In 2004, I started my own practice, Jungle of Smiles, in South Orange County, California. We were one of the first paperless offices. I know that doesn’t seem very exiting now, but it was cutting-edge practice at the time. We took digital radiographs and designed an environment that rivaled the ambiance of Rainforest Café.
But every day I practiced; I faced the same look of horror on parents’ faces when it came time to discuss the dreaded stainless steel crown. The worst part about those discussions was that I had nothing better to offer that would improve the situation.
As the years passed by, various manufacturers attempted to market products that would remedy the situation. And I tried them all. The results proved less than fantastic. Frequently, they induced profanity on my part while attempting to place them, and no one was happy when all the white facing disappeared sooner rather than later.
So, in Orlando at the AAPD ANNUAL SESSION IN 2014, I found myself standing at the Sprig booth, with more than a little doubt in my mind. I was thinking, “I’m going to spend a couple grand on a box that will gather dust in the back of my operatory.” But in the end, I decided to give EZCrowns a try. I made the decision largely based on the recommendation of my anesthesiologist who told me, “My friend is the one who created these great crowns.”
After placing my first Sprig crown, I was extremely pleased with the results. So were the parents of my patients. But I still was not convinced. What if the crowns broke, or came off? There had to be a catch. I waited for the phone call, but none ever came. Success! I continued to place more crowns, becoming more and more confident that there really was an esthetic, durable, and reliable crown option available for children.
Over the past several years, I have placed hundreds of EZCrowns. My favorite experience with them is when a patient comes in, and I don’t even realize the tooth I am examining is a crown. Then I look at the x-ray, and realize it is not their natural tooth. That is how esthetic these crowns have proved to be.
I am happy to finally have a crown that matches my vision for optimum patient care.