Single visit Dental Inlays, Onlays and Crowns

Tuesday, 05 February 2008 11:07

Most dental restorative methods require more than one visit to the dentist. This means that on the first visit, local anesthesia injected, tooth prepared, an impression taken, and a temporary restoration put on the tooth.During the second appointment ( couple of weeks later) the temporary pried off (if it hasn't fallen off already), and a permanent restoration put on.

But CEREC by Sirona dental system allows dental practitioner to produce an indirect ceramic dental restoration using a variety of computer assisted technologes including 3D photography and CAD/CAM in a single sitting .CEREC® is an acronym for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics

How does it work?

CEREC® uses CAD/CAM technology, incorporating a camera, computer and milling machine in one instrument. The dentist uses a special camera to take an accurate picture of the damaged tooth. This optical impression is transferred and displayed on a color computer screen, where the dentist uses CAD (Computer Aided Design) technology to design the restoration. This design mode uses a library of tooth shapes that is stored on the computer to suggest the shape of the proposed restoration. Most commonly a recording of the bite registration (the imprint of the opposing or antagonist tooth in a wax like or rubbery material) is also added to the data the software can use when deciding the proposal. This data together with a 3D optical imression of the prepared tooth establishes the approximate zone with which the new restoration can exist. The proposed restoration can then be morphed to fit into this zone in an anatomically and functionally correct position.Then CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing,which includes a milling machine that carves the actual restoration out of a ceramic block using diamond head cutters under computer control) takes over and automatically creates the restoration while the patient waits. Finally, the dentist bonds the new restoration to the surface of the old tooth. The whole process takes only about one hour!

What does this innovation mean?

A tooth-colored restoration means no more silver fillings discoloring smiles. The filling is natural-looking, compatible with tissue in the mouth, anti-abrasive and plaque-resistant. Dentist no longer needs to create temporary crowns or take impressions and send them to a lab. Because of this, the traditional second visit has been eliminated. The restorations have been proven precise, safe and effective.