Cad-cam and CEREC dentistry

Introducing CEREC 3D…

CEREC is a revolutionary state of the art system for replacing amalgams and restoring cracked or chipped teeth and cosmetic veneers.

With CEREC technology we can restore damaged teeth and enhance your smile with bio-compatible, tooth-coloured materials in a single appointment.

This technology has a track record of 25 years, and more than 100 studies confirm the clinical excellence of the method.

CEREC - Dental Technology of the future

The CEREC system 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 life like dental restorations in just one visit to the dentist...in, out, and on with your busy life. The state of the art CEREC system was developed in 1985 at the University of Zurich in Switzerland by a dentist, Dr. Werner H. Moermann, and an electrical engineer, Dr. Markus Brandistini. At the heart of the system is the innovative technology:

CEREC Acquisition Unit

The CEREC Acquisition Unit is mobile and houses a medical grade computer and the CEREC camera. Your dentist uses the camera to take a digital picture of your prepared tooth. This picture is used instead of a traditional impression. This means no impression tray and material for you to gag on. The computer and CEREC 3D software converts the digital picture to a three dimensional virtual model of your prepared tooth. Your restoration is designed right on screen using the software while you wait (and watch!). Any single tooth restoration can be designed: crowns, inlays (fillings), onlays (partial crowns), and veneers. Once we have designed your restoration, with a click of a button, and the design data is communicated via a wireless radio signal to the CEREC Milling Unit.

CEREC Milling Unit

A ceramic block is then selected that matches the shade of the tooth being repaired. The block is inserted into the Milling Unit. The data from the Acquisition Unit is used to direct two diamond coated burs to carve the block into the indicated shape of the restoration. This process usually takes 8 to 18 minutes depending on the size and type of restoration. When milling is completed, the finished filling or crown is polished and bonded it into place.

Why patients are choosing CEREC

With CEREC you can be in and out in a single visit with a permanent, all ceramic crown, onlay, or veneer! For you, the patient, this means fewer injections, less drilling, and less time out of your hectic schedule for dental care. So, why are thousands of people world wide choosing the CEREC restorative technique for their dental needs?

Single Appointment Dental Care

Most dental restorative methods require more than one visit to the dentist. This means that on the first visit, you get an injection of anesthesia, your tooth prepared, an impression taken, and a temporary restoration put on your tooth. You make a second appointment for a couple of weeks later, get another injection, have the temporary pried off (if it hasn't fallen off already), and have a permanent restoration put on. Why go to the dentist a second time when you don't have to?

With CEREC, the procedure is completed in a single appointment, start to finish.

Finest Dental Materials

A CEREC tooth restoration isn't just convenient, it is also healthy. Many years ago, dentists had few options to repair decayed and damaged teeth other than amalgam, gold, and other metals. With CEREC, we can use strong, tooth coloured ceramic materials to restore your teeth to their natural strength, beauty, and function. These materials closely match the composition of natural tooth structure. Meaning when you consume anything hot or cold, the restoration and tooth expand and contract at almost equal rates. Therefore your tooth does not end up with cracks and breaking as can frequently happen with amalgam fillings. The resulting ceramic piece is adhesively bonded to your tooth. We can save as much healthy tooth tissue as possible while providing you with a dental restoration that strengthens your tooth.

Smile Enhancement

CEREC can be used for more than just crowns and fillings. CEREC is capable of producing any single tooth restoration. Chipped or discolored front teeth can be repaired with beautiful CEREC porcelain anterior crowns or veneers. Your smile makes a lasting first impression. Enhance it with CEREC.

Worldwide, a CEREC restoration is placed every 20 seconds. With a history of nearly 20 years, this equipment has helped dentists place over 6 million restorations. Using metal free materials that are the closest to your natural enamel, CEREC gives you the highest quality restorative care.

A broken tooth can now be fully restored with CEREC

CEREC veneers can successfully be used to repair unsightly defects on the surface of the tooth.

The CEREC Procedure

Let's face it, very few of us have perfect teeth, free of decay and fillings. You can probably see a filling or two in your own mouth, which do 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 gray metal material (amalgam) which can weaken the tooth, or get additional decay under or around it. In fact, 1.2 billion of these metal fillings will need to be replaced in the next 10 years.

Amalgam replacement with strong durable ceramic computer generated "CEREC" restorations.

So, how does the CEREC procedure work?

Exam and Preparation

First, we examine the tooth and determine the appropriate treatment. It could be a simple filling, or a full crown, depending on how much healthy tooth structure is remaining.

Next, we administer an anaeshetic and prepare your tooth for restoration, removing decayed and weakened tooth tissue. This preparation is the same as many other restorative techniques.

Optical Impression

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

A 3D optical camera takes an image of your tooth

The CEREC 3D software takes the digital picture and converts it into a 3-dimensional virtual model on the computer screen. We then use our expertise to design the restoration using the CEREC 3D computer program.

Within a few minutes, with the click of a button, the restoration design data is sent to a separate milling machine in the office. A ceramic block matching your tooth shade is placed in the milling machine. You can actually see the restoration being milled.

About 10-20 minutes later, your all-ceramic, tooth coloured restoration is finished and ready to bond in place. Finally, the restoration is tried in your mouth to ensure a proper fit. The restoration is then polished and bonded to the prepared tooth and the bite is checked. Your tooth is now restored with no "temporary" and no return trip necessary. Ask us about CEREC today!