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WHAT IS CEREC®?

Very few of us have perfect teeth, free of decay, or any history of fillings. You can probably see a filling or two in your own mouth, but a filling does just that — “fill” a cavity, or hole, in your tooth left from the excavation of decayed tooth structure. In many cases, those fillings are made of metal material and can go bad, weaken the tooth, or get additional decay under or around it. Dr. Chiou uses CEREC®, a modern method used to not only replace old fillings, but restore any tooth decay, returning the tooth to its natural strength and beauty. Better yet, the whole process for producing new crowns is done with all-ceramic tooth colored materials in just a single appointment!

CEREC® is an advanced dental restorative system that allows your dentist to restore decayed teeth, place crowns, remove defective amalgam fillings, or place cosmetic veneers in just one appointment. This allows you to have the highest quality, most lifelike dental restorations in just one visit to the dentist…in, out, and on with your busy life.

What is the CEREC® Crowns Process?

First, your dentist examines the tooth and determines the appropriate treatment. It could be a simple filling, or a full crown, depending on how much healthy tooth structure is remaining and the clinical judgment of your dentist. Next, he or she administers an anesthetic and prepares your tooth for the restoration, removing decayed and weakened tooth tissue. This preparation is just like he or she would do for many other restorative techniques.

OPTICAL IMPRESSION

Then, your dentist takes an optical impression of the prepared tooth. Instead of filling a tray with impression “goop” that you must bite into and hold in your mouth until it hardens, your dentist coats the tooth with a non-toxic, tasteless powder. A camera is then used to take a digital picture of your tooth. This whole optical impression process takes only a minute or two.

NO TEMPORARIES

Next, the CEREC® machine helps the Dentist create the restoration for your tooth. The CEREC® 3D software takes the digital picture and converts it into a 3-dimensional virtual model on the computer screen. Your dentist then uses his or her dental expertise to design the restoration using the CEREC® 3D computer program. Within a few minutes, your dentist clicks a button, and the restoration design data is sent to a separate milling machine in the office. A ceramic block that matches your tooth shade is placed in the milling machine. About 10 – 20 minutes later, your all-ceramic, tooth-colored restoration is finished and ready to bond in place. Finally, your dentist tries the restoration in your mouth to ensure proper fit and bite. The restoration is then polished and bonded to the prepared tooth. Your tooth is restored with no “temporary” or return trip necessary. All of this is done in a single appointment! Ask us about CEREC® today.