William H. Noyes DDS Family, TMJ & Cosmetic Dentistry

A New Age of Dentistry

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A clear alternative

CEREC is the newest in Dental Technology.  By using wireless connections and high definition cameras it has the ability to make crowns, inlays, onlays and veneers in minutes.  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, and get an 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 done 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, your dentist can use strong, tooth colored ceramic materials to restore your teeth to their natural strength, beauty, and function. These materials closely match the composition of natural tooth structure.  This means when you eat hot food and then drink something cold, the restoration and tooth expand and contract at almost equal rates.  So, your tooth does not crack, and you can go on enjoying your evening.  Also, the materials are chemically bonded to your tooth, so your dentist can save as much healthy tooth tissue as possible while providing you with a dental restoration that strengthens your tooth.

How it Works
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 prepped tooth.  Your dentist then designs your restoration right on screen using the software while you wait (and watch!).  This software can assist your dentist with designing any single tooth restoration:  crowns, inlays (fillings), onlays (partial crowns), and veneers.  Once your dentist has designed your restoration (usually about 5 minutes), he or she clicks a button, and the design data is communicated via a wireless radio signal to the CEREC Milling Unit.

Your dentist or dental assistant selects a ceramic block that matches the shade of the tooth being repaired.  He or she then inserts the block 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.  After the milling is finished, your dentist polishes the finished filling or crown and bonds it into place.