CEREC stands for Ceramic Restoration and uses an innovative system that designs high-quality, metal-free dental restorations in one visit. CEREC uses 3D photography and CAD/CAM technology to assist dentists in designing a virtual restoration. CAD and CAM (Computer-aided design and Computer-aided manufacturing) improve the design and creation of dental restorations. With the camera, computer, and milling system all in one unit, creation of the actual restoration can be done while you are still in the chair. CEREC eliminates the long wait of sending in a tooth mold to an outside lab and is a safer and more effective way to restore teeth than traditional methods.

What can CEREC help?

Your smile can be easily enhanced with CEREC. From improving the radiance of your smile to repairing decayed teeth, CEREC can help.

Here are the most common uses for CEREC restoration.

Crowns
A traditional crown can take 2-3 weeks to complete which can make for a lengthy and stressful experience for patients. CEREC crowns can be completed in the same visit and look and feel like a real tooth.

Veneers
CEREC allows patients seeking to be fitted for veneers to bypass the multiple visits to the dentists the traditional method calls for in one dental visit. Some fittings take as little as one hour.

Inlays
A dental inlay is a pre-molded filling that fits into the grooves of the tooth without extending to the cusps. Traditionally, a dentist drills into the area of the tooth that is damaged or decaying before making a mold of the area to send to a laboratory. The laboratory will create the inlay from porcelain or resin before sending it back to be fitted. With CEREC the tooth is scanned and the inlay created in the dentist’s office while you wait.

Onlays
Similar to an Inlay, an onlay is traditionally created from a mold sent off to a laboratory. Onlays are for more extensive damage and extend past the cusps of the tooth. Onlays can also be created at your visit to the dentist with CEREC technology.

While inlays, onlays, crowns and veneers, are the most common uses of CEREC restoration, CEREC can also aid in full-contour bridges, implants, and surgical guides. If a more convenient form of dental restoration sounds right for you, call us at (865) 584-6163 to schedule your consultation today.

 

Resources:

  • https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/basics/dental-visits/cad-cam-dentistry–what-is-it-
  • https://www.dentsplysirona.com/en/products/cad-cam/dental-practice.html