What is CEREC?
In 1985, Sirona Dental Systems changed the face of dentistry by creating CEREC dental restorations. To date, CEREC is the only method that offers single-visit chair side restoration. All-ceramic crowns are fabricated and placed in one easy dental appointment! CEREC is fast, safe, and provides a natural-looking restoration that will stand the test of time.
CEREC does more than just crowns. This revolutionary system is also used for:
- Inlays and onlays
- Veneers for chipped or discolored front teeth
- New fillings
- Replacing old amalgam fillings
Why choose CEREC?
A significant benefit of CEREC is that it’s healthier than other restorative options. In the past, almost all restorations were done with gold, amalgam, or other metals. CEREC uses all-ceramic material that is durable and biocompatible with your teeth. In other words, it is safe and is resistant to wear.
CEREC also allows your dentist to save more of the healthy tooth structure. Teeth that would have previously been lost can now be restored with CEREC inlays and onlays. This is because CEREC’s state-of -the-art bonding requires only a small amount of tooth structure to restore the tooth to it’s full function. In addition, CEREC is used to create beautiful veneers, restoring chipped or discolored front teeth.
Another advantage of CEREC is that the entire procedure is done in one visit, from start to finish. This means less time is spent at the office, in the chair, getting shots, and having your teeth drilled! Before, getting a crown meant two visits to the dentist. First you had to go in to have the tooth prepared, an impression taken, and a temporary crown put on. Sometimes this temporary would fall off in between appointments, which meant an extra visit to have it put back on. Then you had to return a few weeks later to have the temporary removed and the permanent crown cemented into place. Thanks to CEREC, multiple trips to the dentist are no longer needed to achieve beautiful and long-lasting dental restorations.
How does CEREC work?
First your dentist will examine your teeth to determine what type of restoration is best for you. After tooth preparation an optical impression of your teeth is taken using a special 3D camera. The image is transferred to the computer, where your restoration is fashioned using computer aided design (CAD). This technology takes every clinical detail of your case into consideration, creating the most precise restoration. Next, these exact specifications are sent to our in-office milling machine. In a mere 20 minutes, this state-of-the-art device fabricates your custom, color-matched restoration.
Finally, your restoration is fitted, polished, and bonded in place. The entire process only takes 1-2 hours, depending on the extent of your dental work. Today, more than 20 million CEREC restorations have been completed worldwide, and this number keeps growing. CEREC remains one of the most trusted methods of restoration within the dental community, and for good reason!
Do you live in or around San Juan Capistrano? Call us today to find out more about CEREC single-visit restorations.
