HOW IS CEREC® USED?
INLAY RESTORATION
Patients with amalgam fillings often experience breakdowns in their fillings and subsequent damage to the tooth structure. Unlike the crowns created in a lab, CEREC® inlay restorations actually stabilize a tooth’s integrity to prevent further breakdown.
CEREC® uses materials that ensure maximum bond strength and improved appearance. These materials are workhorses designed to provide an ideal grin, as they are made up of a smooth, tooth-colored material that closely matches the area of your tooth lost to decay. CEREC®’s ultramodern technology matches your tooth’s color and structure exactly.
Onlay restorations
The restorations provided by silver amalgam do not mimic the appearance of natural teeth and typically require additional dental restorations. The result is an unsightly crown and a tendency toward ongoing decay. At our dental office in Arnold, MO, we use CEREC® onlays to retain the tooth’s original structure and create a more natural look than a traditional crown can provide.
Onlays (also called partial crowns) are more extensive than inlays and successfully cover the bumps on a tooth’s surface. CEREC®’s enamel-like material effectively mimics both the appearance and texture of an individual’s natural teeth and avoids temporary restoration processes in favor of a single visit.
Crowns
Replacement crowns are frequently required for patients who have lost fillings. Traditional crowns without CAM computer-aided design can take up to 3 appointments at a dentist’s office to complete. Using CEREC®’s CAD/CAM technology, the appearance and texture of normal teeth are successfully mimicked, and crowns are installed in a single day.
Crowns are tooth-shaped caps that are laid over teeth. These caps restore a damaged tooth to its original shape and are designed to match the size, strength, and appearance of the natural tooth. Ultimately, digital modeling allows CEREC® crowns to preserve healthy tooth structure while restoring the appearance and strength of your natural smile.
veneers
Compacted composite material has been known to break down over time. As the material breaks down on previously repaired teeth, the tooth can develop chips and breaks. CEREC® veneers are designed to correct both the length and angle of the tooth, which restores a broken or damaged tooth to its original appearance in only one visit.
CEREC® restorations include veneers, which are thin laminates made up of tooth-colored porcelain. Once the CEREC® milling machine has constructed the veneer, the structure is bonded to the front of the tooth, covering it entirely and improving the smile’s appearance. Each CEREC® veneer is custom-designed for each tooth to create an exact match for each ceramic restoration.
multiple restorations
Prior to the development of the CEREC® process, patients who had several failed restorations and declining dental health required numerous appointments to repair all of the damage and achieve a full restoration. CEREC® eliminates the need for numerous appointments by allowing multiple inlays and onlays to be fabricated, bonded, polished, and installed at the same time, completing the restoration process in a single visit.
At our office, CEREC® technology delivers a beautiful smile in a fraction of the time that has been required for dental restorations in years past.
