Cutting‑edge innovations in dental instruments are requiring less time in the dental chair, causing less discomfort and creating satisfying results. One breakthrough instrument, called CEREC, allows dentists to quickly restore damaged teeth with natural‑colored ceramic fillings, saving patients time and inconvenience. Smile Savers Dentistry offers this restoration and has provided many successful CEREC procedures.
What is CEREC?
CEREC (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics) is a high‑tech instrument that a dentist uses tgo economically restore damaged teeth in a single appointment using a high‑quality ceramic material that matches the natural color of other teeth.
A tooth‑colored restoration means no more silver fillings discoloring smiles. The filling is natural‑looking, compatible with tissue in the mouth, anti‑abrasive and plaque resistant. Dentists no longer need to create temporaries or take impressions and send them to a lab. Because of this, the traditional second visit has been eliminated.
CEREC has over a decade of clinical research and documentation to support the technology. The restorations have been proven precise, safe and effective.
How Does CEREC Work?
First, the dentist prepares the damaged tooth by painting a thin laver of reflective powder directly onto the tooth's surface. Using a special camera, the dentist then takes a picture of the tooth. No need to take a messy impression and send it to the lab. The dentist works; from this photo, which is actually a pin‑sharp optical impression of the tooth.
Computer aided design technology helps the dentist design the restoration from the optical impression. The design is done chairside on a color monitor. Patients can watch the dentist design the new restoration right in front of their eyes!
Then computer aided manufacturing creates the restoration while the patient waits. The tooth is milled out of a block of ceramic material that matches the patient's tooth color. Computer aided manufacturing uses a high‑speed diamond bur and a disk simultaneously to mill a precise restoration. The milling takes about 10 minutes. Finally, the dentist bonds the newly milled restoration to the tooth using an adhesive.
What Kinds of Procedures Can It Perform?
- Partial and full crowns
- Veneers
- All other single‑tooth restorations
What Are the Advantages CEREC Offers?
- The dentist performs the restoration in a single session, usually in less than one hour
- No need for the dentist to make an impression and send it to a lab
- No return visits for the patient
- The restoration is natural looking, as it is made out of tooth‑colored ceramic material
Is This a New Technology?
No. CEREC has over a decade of clinical research and experience to support the technology. The manufacturer of CEREC has relied on user input and research to improve the product over this time. Over four million restorations have been performed worldwide.
Visit our CEREC website for more information and patient success stories!