Ceramic Reconstruction, or CEREC, is a popular new type of dental restoration system. It uses the latest technologies to create restorations in a short time period. This process revolutionizes the way that certain restorations like dental crowns can help patients.
How does it work?
CEREC uses computer-assisted technologies, such as CAD/CAM technology and 3D imaging, to develop the restorations. A 3D image is made of the teeth and then converted using CAD software to create a model. Important data is collected in the system and shared with a milling unit, which uses the information to accurately form a restoration from a block of ceramic. The restoration can then be applied to the tooth and polished with the finishing touches.
What are the benefits?
CEREC offers a number of advantages over the traditional way of making restorations. The most obvious is that the patient’s tooth can be restored in one visit to the dentist, and there are no temporary restorations to deal with. Also, there is a very high level of accuracy so that the fitting is comfortable, secure, and attractive. CEREC technology is constantly being improved, so more and more dental restorations are possible. Currently crowns, veneers, inlays and onlays can all be created with CEREC.
Who does CEREC procedures?
Dentists specially trained and certified to use CEREC technologies are the only ones you should use for this type of restorations. The dentist must have the equipment in the office to create CEREC restorations.
We treat patients from Longview and the surrounding area
The traditional approach to getting a crown is to receive a temporary crown and then wait a few weeks for the final restoration to be fabricated so that it can be placed in a follow-up appointment. CEREC technology improves the process by allowing a crown to be created and placed in one dental visit without need for a temporary fitting.
CEREC, which stands for ceramic reconstruction, uses a CAD/CAM technology to make crowns, veneers, inlays and onlays using ceramic materials. The process involves preparing the existing tooth, taking its picture and transferring it to the 3D computer, and allowing the computer to design the implant for each particular patient. The entire process is done all the way from anesthesia, tooth preparation, impressions, fabrication, and implantation in one single office visit.
The unique thing about CEREC technology is that once the computer receives a patient’s data, the machine uses diamond burrs to mill the restoration out of porcelain right there in the dentist’s office. The crown or other type of restoration is created specifically for the patient’s mouth and then checked against the bite and against neighboring teeth for color match. Once the dentist determines that the crown fits exactly, it is polished and implanted to complete the procedure.
Some of the advantages that patients enjoy about CEREC is the significant time savings of only one trip to the dentist, as well as just one anesthesia requirement. Also, this process conserves tooth structure and may require less impact on your existing tooth. Porcelain is a strong material and looks very natural in the patient’s smile. Porcelain is also able to expand or contract quickly to allow for less discomfort when consuming cold or hot foods, and it deteriorates at a similar rate as tooth enamel. The appearance and convenience of a CEREC restoration is very appealing, making it a great choice for many patients.
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Dental advancements in recent years have made some treatments simpler, more convenient, and less painful than in the past. An example of one innovation is using CEREC technology for restorations like crowns, inlays and onlays. Instead of dealing with multiple appointments and temporary fittings, patients get their permanent restoration in a single trip to the dentist.
CEREC, or ceramic reconstruction, uses specialized computer technology and machinery to create restorations. A 3D imaging camera scans the tooth and provides its exact dimensions to a computer that uses CAD technology to design the restoration. Once the highly accurate design is created, the data goes to a milling machine that forms the restoration out of ceramic. In just about half an hour, the restoration is ready to be permanently installed in the patient’s mouth.
What’s the big difference with CEREC technology compared to traditional restorations? It saves a great deal of time! In the past, the complete process could take as long as a month to perform. A dentist would have to prepare the tooth, place a temporary crown while the permanent one was developed in a lab, and then the patient would need to return for another appointment for the final crown placement. So instead of this long and inconvenient process, CEREC allows the whole procedure to take place in a single office visit.
In addition to saving time, CEREC restorations also avoid wearing uncomfortable temporary fittings for any period of time. The attractive and perfectly fitted permanent restoration is immediately placed in the mouth for enjoyment right away. Its ceramic material is natural looking and very durable, and has minimal risk of dislodgement or loss.
CEREC technology allows patients to restore their smiles in one convenient trip to the dentist. Ask if your dentist provides this technology if you need any type of ceramic restoration to complete your smile.
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CEREC, or ceramic reconstruction, is a technologically advanced way to restore teeth that have been damaged by disease, decay, or trauma. With CEREC (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics), a specially trained dental professional digitally scans the area of your mouth that needs treatment and then creates the restoration utilizing a milling machine right in their office. CEREC is an efficient process that saves you time and leaves you with an aesthetically appealing, well fitting, long-lasting restoration.
Any patient who needs reconstruction done to an existing tooth is a potential candidate for CEREC. The technology is used for a variety of procedures, including crowns, bridges and porcelain veneers. CEREC is especially appealing to patients who do not wish to spend extensive time in the dental chair. With traditional restorations, separate visits are required to make impressions, and then to place them once the restorations have returned from being constructed in a dental lab. With CEREC, all of these steps are completed in a single office visit, saving you time and hassle.
If you are deemed to be a candidate for ceramic reconstruction, your CEREC trained dentist will take a 3D image of your tooth to precisely determine the fit of your restoration. They will then utilize the CEREC machine to fabricate a permanent, natural-looking restoration specifically designed for your smile. These custom-milled restorations are both strong, long-lasting, and look and feel completely natural. A CEREC restoration will blend seamlessly with your existing teeth and provide outstanding comfort and function.
To determine if you are a viable candidate for ceramic restorations, consult with a CEREC trained dental professional. In just one dental visit, you can return to a healthy, beautiful smile.
We treat patients from Longview and the surrounding area
Certain types of dental restorations have a history of taking multiple steps over a period of time to complete. This has commonly been the case for crowns, inlays, onlays, some veneers and more. Advancements in dentistry have achieved the ability of providing these in a single office visit using CAD/CAM technology.
CAD (Computer Aided Design) and CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) are used in many fields, but were introduced into dentistry in the 1980s. However, experts needed time to improve the technology so that it could be used in actual dental practices. It has now become a reality in helping to create durable, perfectly fitting, and aesthetically pleasing restorations in just a few hours.
This technology begins by taking an image of the tooth and affected area within the mouth. The image is used by the software to develop a virtual restoration, and the data is sent to a milling machine. The milling process allows the CAD/CAM technology to fabricate dental restorations from blocks of porcelain or composite resin. Dentists can even select the exact shade for the restoration so that it looks ideal in the patient’s smile. Once the restoration has been created, the dentist places it in the patient’s mouth and bonds it as necessary to complete the process.
One of the greatest benefits of CAD/CAM technology is that it eliminates the need for a temporary restoration. For example, in past procedures for getting a crown, a temporary crown had to be placed while the final one was fabricated in a dental lab, shipped, and finally placed. Receiving the final restoration in one office visit skips that waiting time. Also, patients don’t have to deal with the hassles of multiple appointments. Another advantage is that CAD/CAM technology provides an exact fit that blends well with the real tooth structure. Patients come away with a comfortable, secure, and attractive smile in one day.
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CEREC digital technology is a revolutionary method of restoring damaged teeth in one dental visit. It delivers fillings, crowns, or veneers to make your smile beautiful and stronger. In just a single appointment, the dentist can diagnose and prepare your bad tooth, create an impression of it, and use CEREC to create a restoration that will be bonded right away to your existing tooth.
The state-of-the-art technology involved with CEREC employs digital equipment to create a 3D impression of your tooth. Instead of the physical impressions that dentists used in the past, the digital imaging replaces it with a modern replica. CAD software is used to design the details of your restoration with a high level of accuracy. It allows customization of the restoration for your exact needs.
One of the greatest benefits of CEREC is that the restoration is milled right there in the office using the precise design specifications. In only about 15 minutes, your ceramic restoration is ready to be placed in your mouth. It is fitted, bonded, and polished so your tooth is restored and you can be on your way.
CEREC is used for several types of dental restorations. Popular choices include:
Crowns – a cap may be placed over a tooth to improve its strength, shape, size, or appearance. CEREC develops an attractive crown using material similar to enamel so that it looks and feels like your real tooth. It is accomplished in one visit, avoiding the messy impression, temporary crown, and subsequent dental appointment customary with traditional crowns.
Onlays – fillings can be achieved using a tooth-colored, smooth replacement of tooth material due to a cavity. Onlays cover a large area of chewing surface of your tooth, and may be similar to a crown except typically not covering the full tooth. CEREC onlays look and feel very natural and provide a durable restoration. This metal-free solution provides an attractive result for a filling in one visit.
Inlays – typically smaller than onlays, CEREC inlays are similar to their onlay counterparts. The inlay serves as an attractive and comfortable tooth filling in a smaller portion of your tooth, created with the CAD technology to ideally restore your tooth.
We treat patients from Longview and the surrounding area
