Disclosed herein is a method of applying dental cement to a concave surface of a dental restoration element. The concave surface of the dental restoration element is configured to mate with a first convex surface of a dental mounting structure such that there is a dental cement gap between the concave surface and the first convex surface. The method comprises: receiving the dental restoration element; receiving a cement applicator, wherein the cement applicator comprises a second convex surface, wherein the second convex surface is a transformation of the first convex surface such that it is shrunk by a reduction factor; applying the dental cement to the concave surface; inserting the second convex surface of the cement applicator into the concave surface of the dental restoration element; and removing the cement applicator from the dental restoration element to provide the dental restoration element with the applied dental cement.