Have you ever been told that you needed to have a crown, temporary bridge, or veneers, but later found out that it was a lengthy treatment process that involved at least two appointments spanning over the course of a couple of weeks? That was the old way of performing dental care. Modern CEREC technology allows dental patients to have new restorations placed start to finish in just one dental appointment.
How does CEREC work? This technology uses 3D imaging to take a “virtual impression” of the prepared tooth once it is shaped and ready for the restoration to be placed, eliminating the need for gooey dental impressions. This 3D image is then sent electronically to the milling equipment right here in our office that transforms the image into a real life crown, dental bridge, inlay, onlay, or veneer during the very same visit. The precise level of detail makes CEREC made dental crowns and other items fit even better than a replacement method made in a professional dental lab.
We use the CEREC Omnicam for our 3D dental impressions – a hand-held magic wand that seamlessly captures a 3D model of your teeth in their natural color shades. Within seconds, those digital images are up on the screen for you to see, and the cad/cam style milling of your dental restoration can begin. You can sit back and relax, and even watch the process take place on the display screen.
Each CEREC crown, inlay, onlay, bridge, and veneer is made of tooth-colored material that blends in with the other teeth of the mouth. As soon as the 3D milling equipment is finished fabricating the restoration, it is ready for immediate (and permanent) placement in the mouth. There’s no need to worry about a bad fit or having to come back to finish the appointment later on, because the restoration wasn’t delivered by the lab.
That means everything from dental emergencies to cosmetic issues that have bothered patients for years can be fixed permanently that same day!
CEREC restorations can be placed anywhere in the mouth, including the front teeth. Not only does CEREC make full coverage crowns, but it can also be used to make inlays, onlays, implant crowns, temporary dental bridges, and dental veneers.
With same day crowns and restorations, we can save you time and aggravation (no more gooey impressions!) to permanently restore your teeth in one appointment.
Want to find out more about what CEREC can do you for you? Call us today to schedule a complimentary consultation visit with Dr. Chris!