So, you’ve just bitten down on a hard nut and cracked your tooth? As if this wasn’t bad enough, dental restorations such as crowns can take a couple of weeks and several appointments to complete. The good news is that the CEREC system solves this problem with same-day crowns.
CEREC® uses CAD/CAM technology to enable dentists to speedily design, create and fit a range of crowns and other dental restorations in under an hour.
If you’re not familiar with CEREC, here are 5 interesting facts you might want to know about the system.
5 Interesting Facts About the CEREC System
- Extreme precision – In the hands of a properly trained dental professional CEREC technology helps create a crown that is incredibly precise. So now you’re probably wondering how precise is precise?
Well, according to the experts the accuracy and fit are within microns – that’s a thousandth of a millimeter0! This far exceeds what was previously considered the ‘gold standard’ tolerances in dental restoration procedures.
- Treatment doesn’t have to cost more – You could be forgiven for thinking that such amazing technology will cost you more compared to conventional treatment. But guess what, you’d be wrong!
Since the CEREC system mills the restorations in our clinic, costs are saved by not having to outsource the work to an off-site dental lab.Furthermore, as dental restorations are completed in just one dental visit, you get to save time and money, which makes CEREC cheaper and more convenient.
- Better aesthetics – Because CEREC restorations are more precise, it also means that generally, they look better.
CEREC technology enables dentists to match the restorations exactly to their patient’s natural teeth from the translucency to the tooth shade and the contouring.
- Not quite as new as you might have thought – As far as dental history goes, the CEREC system is certainly one of its newer technologies even though it may feel like it’s only just been invented.
While much of the dental community has only recently started to embrace this technology, it was established over 30 years ago in 1985. So, while taking advantage of this ‘new’ technology, it’s also reassuring to know that the software has been used to create digital impressions of smiles many years past, allaying any fears that CEREC is new and unproven.
- 3-Dimensional printing for teeth – CEREC restorations are usually made from a single block of ceramic. A high definition camera captures images of the prepared teeth in a patient’s mouth. These are then delivered to the software that is used to calculate and design the dental restoration. Finally, the information is received by the CEREC milling machine which sculpts the restoration in just a few minutes. It’s almost like 3-D printing for teeth!
How Can CEREC Help You?
Here at No Gaps Dental, we use the CEREC system to fix damaged or unattractive teeth. Whether your cracked tooth needs repairing or you want a more radiant smile, CEREC can help.
There are 3 treatments we commonly use CEREC for:
Dental Crowns
A crown covers or caps the whole of your tooth from top to bottom to restore its size, shape, and appearance. You may need a crown:
- if your tooth has been weakened following a root canal
- to restore a broken tooth
- to strengthen and support a tooth that has little left of its structure
- to make a cosmetic improvement
Conventional crowns can take up to 3 dental visits. CEREC mirrors the appearance and feel of a natural tooth and only requires one appoint to install.
Veneers
Dental veneers are thin shells, often made from porcelain, that cover the front surfaces of teeth. They can be used cosmetically to:
- close small gaps in the teeth to create a more even smile
- whiten teeth that are deeply stained or discoloured
- lengthen a short tooth
- correct a misshapen tooth
And are also used to repair chipped or broken teeth and restore the smile. CEREC produces custom veneers for each tooth providing an exact match.
Inlays/Onlays
Inlays are often used to replace unsightly amalgam (metal) fillings which may have broken down or caused damage to the structure of the tooth.
CEREC inlays restore stability to the tooth while the materials used ensure maximum bond strength and an enhanced appearance, giving you back your natural-looking beautiful smile. The smooth tooth-coloured material is a great alternative to the dental material lost to decay.
Onlays act in a similar way to inlays with the difference being that an onlay covers one or more cusps of the tooth. The enamel-like material copies the feel and appearance of real teeth.
Traditionally, dental restorations would be fabricated in a dental lab and may take several weeks to complete. But with the CEREC System, we can complete the entire procedure in just one dental visit.
How CEREC Works?
In the past, patients needing multiple dental restorations would have required several appointments for full restoration to be achieved. With CEREC, multiple dental restorations can be fabricated, installed, and polished in a single visit, resulting in beautiful smiles in a fraction of the time.
Besides saving time and money CEREC is a simple non-invasive procedure that benefits our patients in many ways.
If you’re keen to restore your smile with the CEREC system then please make an appointment with our Bondi Junction, Brookvale, Chatswood, Beverly Hills, Blacktown or Wynyard No Gaps Dental Clinic. Book online today or call us on (02) 8007 6727.