CEREC Dental Restoration System
What is CEREC?
CEREC is an acronym for Chairside Economical Restorations of Esthetic Ceramic. CEREC technology creates a long-lasting and very natural looking porcelain restoration in just minutes, rather than the weeks it takes for a dental lab to do it.
The CEREC machine has been in use throughout the dental industry since 1985, assisting dentists with porcelain tooth restorations. New York City Aesthetic Dentist Dr. Michael Iott was responsible for bringing the very first CEREC machine to the United States, as part of his continuing goal of optimum patient care.
CEREC has revolutionized the way dentists can treat your restoration needs, shortening the treatment time to as little as one visit and providing you with a tooth that looks and feels like your own. Best of all, studies show CEREC restorations are as durable as gold, long held as the industry standard for high quality and long lasting material.
Restoration procedure
During a restorative dentistry examination, Dr. Iott will examine your teeth to determine the best course of treatment needed to achieve the results you desire. If he feels a CEREC restoration is the appropriate course, he'll prepare your tooth by first creating an optical impression of it. This high-resolution optical impression creates the basis for a ceramic restoration that fits perfectly and matches your other teeth for a flawless, natural result. It could be porcelain veneers, a porcelain crown, or a porcelain inlay or onlay.
After the injured tooth is prepared for treatment, an electronic camera scans the tooth, allowing you to see the image on a video monitor. The restoration is designed from this scan and automatically milled from a solid ceramic block. This procedure is done so precisely that the restoration can be accurately fitted and bonded to the prepared cavity. "Repairing" teeth using older, traditional methods can be extremely complicated with various impressions and temporary fillings taking considerably more time. Now, with CEREC, this can be simply achieved in just one visit.
The CEREC milling machine then goes to work sculpting your ceramic restoration from a porcelain block. In less than 15 minutes, Dr. Iott will be testing your CEREC restoration for fit. Then, after a temporary bonding, and some fine-tuning, the restoration will be bonded to your tooth permanently. Wasn't that easy?
Of what type of material is the CEREC restoration made?
CEREC restorations are made from ceramic, a natural substance with the same characteristics as healthy dental enamel. Like enamel, the ceramic is able to withstand everyday rigors such as grinding food or tolerating hot and cold food temperatures. Also, with the CEREC restoration, you will not experience the side effects of traditional metal fillings - metallic tastes or effects from electrical currents often caused when different metals are in neighboring teeth.
Does the CEREC restoration look natural?
With the CEREC restoration, we can use ceramic materials that match the natural color of your teeth. Your repaired tooth will appear as the original. Not only is your tooth restored - your self-confidence will be too!
Is the CEREC restoration as durable as traditional materials?
CEREC restorations are nearly as strong as dental enamel, the hardest of all materials in the human body. This strength and durability comes from the ceramic material as well as from the precise bonding of the restoration to the tooth.
A CEREC restoration, bonded accurately and firmly, gives your teeth great stability. This frequently means no need for a full crown.
When is CEREC recommended?
To replace old, deteriorated & leaking fillings or crowns
To fix cracked or broken teeth
To treat sensitive teeth due to wear, decay or fracture
To replace fillings due to metal allergies
To replace dark fillings or older unattractive crowns
To esthetically enhance your smile with new veneers on your front teeth
To strengthen back teeth that require a durable restoration because of a "strong" bite
For almost any case when a crown, inlay, onlay, filling or veneer is recommended