CEREC® (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics) combines a computer, milling instrument, and camera into one unified machine. It allows dentists to create tooth restorations in the dental clinic in a single visit. This is a convenient and efficient way to help patients who need quick dental restorations. If you want to find out about the popular CEREC options for restorations, here are the details.
What CEREC offers
Patients do not need to wait for a long time while the dental lab fabricates the restorations. Without CEREC, patients need to wear temporary crowns while waiting for the permanent ones. This innovative system allows patients to fix dental damage right away. An urgent need for dental repairs needs an urgent solution. This technology allows patients to have quick restorations. The accuracy of these restorations gives a significant advantage to patients.
How CEREC works
Computer-aided design software and technology make CEREC effective. Natural-looking dental restorations take a few minutes to create. The dentist prepares the patient’s tooth first. This includes taking digital photos of the tooth.
Advanced computer technology converts the photos into a 3D model. The software manufactures the final restoration. CEREC’s mill machine carves a whole ceramic block according to the specifications of the restoration. Then, the dentist will review the finished restoration. Polishing the restoration comes next before bonding the restoration to the patient’s tooth.
CEREC restoration options
This system has popular types of restoration on offer. A dental crown acts as a cap for the tooth. It can restore the tooth’s appearance, shape, and size. It can strengthen a cracked or decaying tooth.
A crown can also support and restore a broken tooth. Dental crowns are the last step to a root canal treatment. A traditional dental crown takes about two to three weeks to complete. This often causes stress for patients. The long wait can prevent them from doing normal daily activities. Patients can go home with CEREC crowns on the same dental visit.
This new high-tech system can provide patients with veneers as well. These thin shells cover the front of the patient’s teeth. Veneers can improve teeth with irregular shapes and discoloration. These restorations can also realign teeth and restore damaged teeth. CEREC saves a patient many dental visits for fittings.
Onlays can also come from the CEREC system. If the tooth has severe damage, a dental onlay can restore it. A dental onlay is a partial crown. It covers at least one cusp of the tooth’s biting surface. Traditional onlays come from a dental lab. CEREC cuts down the wait time into one dental visit.
Inlays are pre-molded fillings that fit into the dental grooves without reaching the cusps. For traditional inlays, dentists drill into the tooth and then take a mold of the damaged tooth. The dentist sends the mold to the dental lab. A series of fittings follow. CEREC creates the inlay in the dental clinic while the patient waits.
CEREC restorations are changing the way patients get dental care
You can now get dental restorations in one dental visit. CEREC allows you to remove weeks of stressful waiting while wearing temporary restorations. It also provides more accurate restorations than the traditional process. An appointment with your dentist can start your CEREC restorations and leave the clinic with a brand-new smile.
Request an appointment or call Fort Lauderdale Dental Studio at (954) 519-7792 for an appointment in our Fort Lauderdale office.