The beauty of both CEREC restorations and gold restorations is that they can conserve significant tooth structure. The Cerec restoration is the most conservative in dentistry removing old restorations and decay and reinforcing remaining tooth with bonded ceram materials. This is s close as we can come to regrowing teeth at this time and they are great restorations.A Gold onlay that covers the biting surface but maintains the majority of tooth structure is next best (depending on individual) Gold is extremely forgiving and will never crack or break.Crowns usually involve removal of all or most of healthy enamel and are more destructive to the tooth. Justification for crowns exist that can't be seen on a single x-ray.Insurance companies usually pay better on destructive procedures than on CEREC, Inlay/ onlay procedures. Ira L Shapira DDS, D,ABDSM, D,AAPM, FICCMOChair, Alliance of TMD Organizations