Here at SDAI, we are proud to use the latest technologies when it comes to our dental practices. CEREC restorations are on the cutting edge of tooth restoration and implant treatments.
What is CEREC?
CEREC is a field of CAD/CAM dentistry which designs and builds dental implant crowns, regular crowns and veneers.
CEREC is an acronym for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics, although some tend to use the simpler CEramic REConstruction.
Although it was first created back in the 1980s at the University of Zurich, the technology wasn’t efficient enough to be used commercially, and it’s only been in the last 10 years or so, that computer power and 3D modelling has given life to this remarkable technology.
How does CEREC work?
The first thing we do is examine your tooth and prepare the appropriate treatment by removing all of the old filling material and any decay present.
Then we take a digital impression of the tooth, using an inter-oral camera. This scans the tooth, creating a 3D image, which is then sent to a computer. Once we have a 3D image, we can use the latest CAD software to design a crown or veneer which fits perfectly for you and you alone.
When your dentist is happy with the design of the new tooth, it is sent to the “manufacturing” part of the process – the CEREC milling unit.
A solid block of porcelain ceramic is placed in the unit, and special tools then sculpt your restoration to the finest detail based on the 3D design. Once the tooth is carved out of the porcelain block, it’s simply a matter of placing it in your mouth, checking everything fits, and then bonding it to the prepared tooth.
CEREC advantage over traditional crowns
The biggest advantage CEREC restorations have over traditional crowns is the time it takes from start to finish.
We image, design and mill the porcelain in-house, and within 60 – 90 minutes everything’s done.
This allows you custom restorations in one short visit instead of the old, gruelling process of having to take an impression, place a temporary crown, and bring you back for another fitting once the permanent crown has been sent back to the dentist.
With a CEREC restoration, the tooth is designed to your exact and unique specifications, making it much more likely to last without any problems.
Quick, easy and painless procedure
All this talk of 3D modelling and porcelain sculpture may start to sound a little extreme, but once the initial anaesthetic is applied, there is no pain at all during the procedure. Most patients say that it’s the same as getting a simple filling done.
And of course, the beauty of it is, you can have this treatment completed over the course of a long lunch break!
Talk to us about CEREC restorations
CEREC is becoming more and more popular around the world as technology improves and becomes more affordable.
Many people are using CEREC to have their amalgam fillings removed or to fix and replace damaged, decayed and failed fillings.
CEREC restorations perform identically to your real teeth, so you can eat and drink cold and hot foods as you normally would.
They also don’t expand and contract like composite (white) or amalgam fillings, which can be prone to shrinkage or expansion in the mouth, a process that can result in gaps or leakage around the fillings, sensitivity, fractures or breakage of the teeth, and possibly even recurrent decay.
Here at our clinic, we are all about customer satisfaction.
We stock a range of porcelain blocks in various shades to get as close to your tooth colour as possible, but we can also stain and glaze the final restoration to add individualized characteristics and colours to ensure you get the closest match possible.
The porcelain we use in the CEREC process is favoured by top-tier labs and leaders in the profession, due to its high quality, superior strength, and because it is one of the most authentic, tooth-like restorations available to date.
If you have any questions about CEREC restorations, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.
Our friendly and knowledgeable staff will be happy to help in any way they can.