Mountain Dentistry

Dental restorations help patients to get their teeth restored to their original form. It could be a broken or a chipped tooth due to an external injury, a severely discolored tooth due to external staining or the ill effects of certain medication, or a naturally misshapen tooth. The restorations such as crowns, veneers, onlays, etc. can be used to restore them to look aesthetically pleasing and functioning correctly.

However, if you have ever got a conventional restoration done, you would have an idea about how tedious the process is and the number of days it would take to complete. It may also require the dentist to take several pictures, x-rays, and molds of the teeth to determine the exact dimensions and contour of the restoration required. These limitations called for a simpler and much efficient procedure to get the restorations done, which is why dental technology has come up with an advanced system called ‘CEREC.’

​

What is CEREC?

CEREC, in simple words, means Ceramic Restorations. It stands for Chairside Economical Restoration using Esthetic Ceramic. It is an advanced method of scanning the teeth using a simple hand-held scanner to acquire the data for fabricating the restoration. The data obtained will be input to a computerized milling machine, which mills out an all-ceramic restoration in a jiffy. So, using CEREC, we will be able to restore your tooth in a single visit to our dental practice!

​

What makes CEREC so quick and efficient?

CEREC technology allows dentists to manufacture custom restorations for their patients in just a few hours. The steps involved in CEREC are as follows:

• The tooth that would receive the restoration will have to be prepared before the procedure. In most cases, a thin layer of enamel will be removed to accommodate the restoration.

• A digital scan/photo of the teeth will be taken using the CEREC device.

• The CEREC software will create a 3D model of the tooth using the data from the image taken. CAD or Computer Aided Drawing will be used for this purpose.

• The dentist will create a precise digital model after a few minor manual changes. This will be input to the CAM or Computer Aided Milling machine that is connected to the CEREC device.

• The machine very precisely mills out the required restoration from a block of ceramic in a matter of a few minutes. It will be highly accurate in terms of dimensions and contour.

• Once finished, the restoration will be placed on the tooth and checked for perfect fit and comfort. It will be polished to match the shade of the adjoining teeth and permanently bonded to the tooth.

All of the above-stated procedures wouldn’t take more than a few hours. You can enter our practice with teeth that require restorations and walk out with a smile that you wouldn’t want to hide anymore.