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CEREC: State-of-the-Art Dentistry

CEREC digital technology is a revolutionary method of restoring damaged teeth in one dental visit. It delivers fillings, crowns, or veneers to make your smile beautiful and stronger. In just a single appointment, the dentist can diagnose and prepare your bad tooth, create an impression of it, and use CEREC to create a restoration that will be bonded right away to your existing tooth.

The state-of-the-art technology involved with CEREC employs digital equipment to create a 3D impression of your tooth. Instead of the physical impressions that dentists used in the past, the digital imaging replaces it with a modern replica. CAD software is used to design the details of your restoration with a high level of accuracy. It allows customization of the restoration for your exact needs.

One of the greatest benefits of CEREC is that the restoration is milled right there in the office using the precise design specifications. In only about 15 minutes, your ceramic restoration is ready to be placed in your mouth. It is fitted, bonded, and polished so your tooth is restored and you can be on your way.

CEREC is used for several types of dental restorations. Popular choices include:

Crowns – a cap may be placed over a tooth to improve its strength, shape, size, or appearance. CEREC develops an attractive crown using material similar to enamel so that it looks and feels like your real tooth. It is accomplished in one visit, avoiding the messy impression, temporary crown, and subsequent dental appointment customary with traditional crowns.
Onlays – fillings can be achieved using a tooth-colored, smooth replacement of tooth material due to a cavity. Onlays cover a large area of chewing surface of your tooth, and may be similar to a crown except typically not covering the full tooth. CEREC onlays look and feel very natural and provide a durable restoration. This metal-free solution provides an attractive result for a filling in one visit.
Inlays – typically smaller than onlays, CEREC inlays are similar to their onlay counterparts. The inlay serves as an attractive and comfortable tooth filling in a smaller portion of your tooth, created with the CAD technology to ideally restore your tooth.

We treat patients from Shreveport and the surrounding area

Enhancing Your Smile using CEREC Technology

CEREC is a system for fabricating ceramic dental restorations in a single office visit. A permanent, comfortable, attractive restoration is yours after only one trip to the dentist. The most common restorations that CEREC is used for include crowns, veneers, onlays and inlays. This thrilling technology means patients experience less messy impressions, fewer injections, less drilling, and reduced time out of their schedules for dental treatment.

Most dental restorations require multiple visits to the dentist. The first visit typically involves an injection of anesthesia, tooth preparation, impressions, and temporary restoration placement. The next appointment a week or two later means another injection, removal of the temporary restoration, and placement of the permanent one. CEREC avoids all of these hassles!

With CEREC, special computer technology allows the creation of a 3D impression of your mouth that is highly accurate. The exact impression is used to create your restoration right there in the dentist’s office with a milling machine. Your restoration can be placed immediately and you’ll be on your way with a comfortable and appealing result.

Not only is CEREC convenient, it restores your teeth to their natural beauty, function and strength. The ceramic materials used match your tooth structure, so that eating hot or cold items does not damage your restoration. The material is bonded securely to your tooth, saving as much of your healthy tooth as possible. The tooth-colored ceramic makes your restoration go unnoticed in your smile.

There is no reason to waste time and energy at multiple dental appointments when you can achieve beautiful and fully functional results through CEREC technology. Ask your dentist if this innovative restoration method is available to enhance your smile.

If you live in the Shreveport area contact us today

CEREC: The Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Questions

Ceramic Reconstruction, or CEREC, provides an alternative to the traditional process for restoring a tooth. Instead of making a physical impression of the tooth, it uses a 3D camera and special computer software to develop a sophisticated image of the tooth. Then a milling machine in the dentist’s office is used to create the restoration. Since CEREC is new to many patients, you may benefit from these answers to frequently asked questions.

Is CEREC better for my oral health?

CEREC restorations allow you to keep more of your real tooth, because usually only the damaged areas of your tooth must be altered. The material is similar to tooth enamel, making it hard and abrasive like a natural tooth. CEREC material is less stressful on your teeth when you consume hot or cold items, because it expands and contracts like a real tooth. It also looks real because it comes in colors you can choose that match your other teeth. With traditional restorations, temporary placements are often required. These are not ideal for your natural tooth because temporary restorations do not support the tooth as well, increasing the risk for your tooth to break. Finally, CEREC restorations have shown to last a long time with proper care.

Is it simpler for me?

CEREC restorations are completed in just one dental visit. There are no temporary restorations, no uncomfortable material in your mouth to create impressions, only one injection, and a single appointment.

What does the restoration look like?

CEREC restorations look like a natural tooth. The tooth-colored ceramic blends right in with your other teeth.

Is CEREC safe?

CEREC has a record of safety and reliability, and the restorations are accepted by dental experts as high quality solutions to dental problems.

How do I know if CEREC is right for me?

CEREC is often a good choice for patients who want to keep as much of their natural tooth as possible, want only one trip to the dentist, want a realistic looking tooth, and want a long-lasting restoration. Your dentist can help you decide if CEREC meets your specific dental needs.

If you need a dentist in Shreveport contact us today

Features of CEREC Technology for Crowns

Dental crowns have been revolutionized by the onset of CEREC technology. This unique method of developing crowns is taking dentistry by storm. Not all dentists have the training and equipment to perform CEREC crowns, but those that do are able to provide their patients with the latest and greatest type of dental restoration.

One of the best features of CEREC is that it only requires one visit to the dentist from start to finish. This is due to the fact that there is no dental impression that must be sent to a laboratory to create the restoration. The dentist is able to use special computer software right there in the office to develop a 3D image of your tooth that will be used to create the crown.

Another outstanding feature is that a CEREC crown is made of pure porcelain. This material is hard like your real tooth enamel, able to withstand heat and pressure. CEREC crowns are strong and long-lasting, making them a great solution for a dental restoration.

CEREC technology is used to create more than just crowns. Dentists also make veneers, inlays and onlays using CEREC. In order to develop your restoration, these are the steps your dentist will perform:

  • Take a digital image of your tooth with a special camera
  • Create a digital crown based on the image
  • Transfer the design to the milling machine
  • Allow the milling unit to make the crown out of a block of porcelain, which take about 15 minutes
  • Remove the crown from the milling machine and attach it to your tooth with dental cement
  • Perform finishing touches to fit the crown perfectly and give it a natural appearance

When your dentist uses CEREC, there are no more excuses that you don’t have time to get your restoration. If this type of technology interests you, look for a dentist who offers CEREC and get your smile back in just one day.

If you live in the Shreveport area contact us today

Frequently Asked Questions About CEREC

If you have a tooth that needs some reconstruction, you want to have the very best reconstruction process available. For many patients, that process is CEREC. It is an acronym for Ceramic Reconstruction. Here, we’ll answer many of the frequently asked questions regarding CEREC.

  • What is CEREC? It is a process that utilizes computer assisted design (CAD) and computer assisted manufacture (CAM) to enable a dentist to design, manufacture and place single tooth restorations in the mouth.
  • How long does CEREC restoration take? Because of the CAD/CAM technology employed by the dentist, CEREC is accomplished in a single dental appointment.
  • Where does CEREC tooth construction take place? CEREC takes place in the dentist’s office and completely removes the need for a dental lab.
  • What materials are used with CEREC? CEREC utilizes tooth-colored ceramic blocks. The type of ceramic used is dependent upon which tooth is being replaced.
  • How is the tooth restoration created? CEREC utilizes CAM to mill the tooth restoration in as little as ten to fifteen minutes with diamond-coated milling tools.
  • Is CEREC safe? Yes! CEREC is in use by close to 40,000 dentists across the globe. Seven million CEREC restorations take place each year.
  • How accurate is CEREC? CEREC is extremely accurate. The number of patient issues related to poor fit is significantly lowered.
  • Will a tray be used to take dimensions of my mouth? No, CEREC removes the need for goop-filled trays and instead utilizes intraoral cameras that generate mouth scans. For patients with a sensitive gag reflex, this is revolutionary!

If you are considering CEREC, get these and more questions answered by your dentist today.

Fresno CEREC dentist

If you need a dentist in Shreveport contact us today

Are There Disadvantages to CEREC Reconstruction?

CEREC reconstruction is a method used by dental professionals to restore a tooth that has been compromised by damage or decay. Utilizing advanced computer technology, a CEREC trained dentist can design and create crowns, bridges and veneers onsite allowing them to be placed in just one office visit.

While there are many advantages to CEREC technology, there are a few disadvantages you may want to consider when making a decision about your dental restorations:

  • CEREC restorations may not last as long as traditional all-metal versions. Ceramic restorations are not considered as strong or resistant to fracture as other materials.
  • Because the restoration is cut from a uniform block of ceramic, it is more difficult to achieve an exact color match to the surrounding natural teeth. A milled crown may not appear as natural as restorations made from other types of ceramics, making CEREC more appropriate for less visible teeth.

While disadvantages to CEREC reconstructions exist, the advantages are many. You are custom-fit with a long lasting, aesthetically attractive restoration in just one visit. A good CEREC dentist will spend the time necessary to stain and glaze the ceramic in a way that makes the restoration as natural as possible. For this reason, it is wise to do your homework and find a dentist who is well trained in CEREC technology. Because the CEREC process is highly technical, it should only be conducted by a dentist who has ample training experience with the process to ensure the results you desire.

To find out more about CEREC restorations and determine if it would be a good option for you to restore or replace old fillings, or correct damaged or uneven teeth, contact a CEREC certified dentist for a consultation.

Dr. Smith  is a Fresno sedation dentist that offer CEREC

If you live in the Shreveport area contact us today

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