CEREC – Same-Day Dental Restorations
No Temporary Restorations. No Messy Impressions. One Easy Appointment.
CEREC is an advanced dental technology that is utilized for the restoration of decayed, cracked, or chipped teeth. CEREC can create full crowns, inlays, onlays, and veneers.
The CEREC machine crafts a restoration in a matter of minutes. CEREC restorations are made of compressed porcelain.
The most beneficial feature of receiving a CEREC restoration is that it is accomplished in one visit. In addition to the benefit of a one-visit restoration, there is no uncomfortable impression material to bite on or temporary to wear.
About the Procedure
The procedure for placement of a CEREC restoration is straightforward. The first step is to remove all decay from the tooth. The doctor will then shape the tooth in preparation to take a digital picture. The tooth is then sprayed with a very fine powder. This allows the digital camera to take an acceptable image.
Once this picture is captured, the tooth will appear on a computer screen in 3D. This will allow the doctor to design the restoration right in front of you. Once the design is completed, the CEREC will mill the restoration.
This step takes approximately 15 minutes. You can watch this process if you would like. When the restoration is finished milling, the doctor will place the restoration. The entire process should take just over an hour.
Soft Tissue Laser
All lasers work by delivering energy in the form of light. When used for surgical procedures, the laser acts as a cutting instrument or a vaporizer of tissue. When used for “curing” a filling, the laser helps to strengthen the bond between the filling and the tooth.
When used in teeth whitening procedures, the laser acts as a heat source and enhances the effect of tooth-bleaching agents.
Some dentists are using lasers to treat:
- Tooth decay. Lasers are used to remove decay within a tooth and prepare the surrounding enamel for receipt of the filling.
- Lasers are also used to “cure” or harden a filling.
- Gum disease. Lasers are used to reshape gums and remove bacteria during root canal procedures.
- Biopsy or lesion removal. Lasers can be used to remove a small piece of tissue (called a biopsy) so that it can be examined for cancer. Lasers are also used to remove lesions in the mouth and relieve the pain of canker sores.
- Teeth whitening. Lasers are used to speed up the in-office teeth whitening procedures. A peroxide bleaching solution, applied to the tooth surface, is “activated” by laser energy, which speeds up the whitening process.
Digital Dental X-rays
Digital X-rays are quickly becoming adopted by a large percentage of the dental industry. A digital x-ray allows the dentist to take an image of the tooth or teeth and put it into an imaging program. Within this imaging program, some tools will allow the dentist to take a very close look at the teeth and surrounding structures with incredible accuracy.
As a benefit to the patient, the digital x-ray also provides nearly 80% less radiation than a standard x-ray. This is because the digital version of the x-ray is much more sensitive to this radiation and has been specifically designed with the patient in mind.
Intraoral Camera
The intraoral camera is an amazing diagnostic tool for viewing different angles in the mouth that we would not have been able to just a few years ago. The camera gives us the ability to view the entire mouth on a monitor so that we can get a closer look at any potential issues or problems that may arise.
Also, the patient will have the ability to see for themselves firsthand the same images we are seeing. These digital images are also excellent for gaining procedure acceptance from insurance companies.
Rotary Endodontics
Endodontics, more commonly known as root canal, is a procedure where the roots or nerves of the tooth are removed. A root canal may be necessary to repair a painful, infected tooth. Rotary Endodontics is a way of performing the root canal utilizing a specific electrical handpiece. This tool often makes the process faster and allows the dentist to perform the process with greater ease.
Electric Handpieces
There are two types of handpieces: air-driven and electric. Electric handpieces are much stronger than air-driven ones because a motor is spinning the bur as opposed to air. Electric handpieces allow the doctor to remove decay at a faster pace, cutting down the time it takes to complete a procedure.