Cincinnati dentist, Dr. Christopher Omeltschenko, can provide patients at Total Dentistry with new restorations, in one visit, in about an hour.
Almost 10 years ago I heard about an exciting new piece of dental equipment that enables dentists to make natural looking crowns in office in about an hour. I was so intrigued by the idea of providing my patients with durable, natural looking restorations in one short visit – and the patients only needing to be numbed once – that I became one of the very first Cincinnati dentists to purchase this equipment, known as CEREC.
What is a CEREC Restoration?
A CEREC restoration is a tooth-colored ceramic restoration that is made by a high tech instrument, called a CEREC machine, using Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology. The restoration is completed in office in about an hour.
For what kinds of procedures can a CEREC Restoration be used?
A CEREC machine can manufacture restorations that can be used on the following dental procedures:
- To fill an area of a tooth that is missing due to decay.
- To replace old amalgam or “silver” fillings so the tooth does not crack or suffer from recurrent decay, as is prevalent with amalgam fillings.
- To restore a tooth after a root canal.
- To create partial and full crowns.
What will a patient experience during the procedure?
First, Dr. Omeltschenko will numb the patient and then prepare the damaged tooth. Next, he paints a thin layer of reflective powder directly on the tooth’s surface. Using a special camera, he then takes a picture of the tooth, which serves as a pin sharp optical impression.
Next, a computer reads the optical impression and, using Computer Aided Design, Dr. Omeltschenko designs a restoration based on these specifications. The design is done chairside on a color monitor and patients can watch him design the new restoration right in front of their eyes.
Once he has designed the restoration, the specifications for the restoration are electronically sent to a milling chamber where the restoration is made. Using Computer Aided Manufacturing, a high-speed diamond bur and a disk simultaneously mill a precise restoration out of ceramic that matches the patient’s tooth color. This process is called “milling” and takes approximately ten minutes. Finally, Dr. Omeltschenko bonds the newly milled restoration to the tooth fusing the two together to become one. The total procedure can be completed in about an hour and is all done chairside in one office visit.
What are the Benefits of a CEREC restoration?
CEREC restorations offer numerous benefits over traditional restorations:
- Convenience – No messy impression is needed and because the restoration is completed in-office in one visit, patients do not need to wear a temporary or return in two weeks for their final fitting.
- Precision – The computer technology is so advanced that the restorations can be made to fit snugly into or onto your existing tooth. Unlike with a restoration made in a lab, the dentist can have the utmost control over the fit.
- Durability – Because the restorations are so precise, they actually can make the tooth stronger, as opposed to mercury fillings, which are pliable and have a tendency to leak. The ceramic material is biocompatible, high-grade, anti-abrasive and plaque resistant.
- Appearance – CEREC restorations utilize tooth-colored ceramic, so patients can say goodbye to metal mouth. The natural colored restorations are indistinguishable from real teeth, leaving patients with a beautiful, natural looking smile. There’s no need for anyone to know how many restorations you have!
Is this a proven technology?
Yes, CEREC has over 15 years of clinical research and experience to support the technology. The manufacturer of CEREC has relied on user input and research to improve the product over this time. Over four million restorations have been performed worldwide.
How much does a CEREC procedure cost?
Dentists’ fees range from region to region, and even though a CEREC restoration offers many benefits to patients over other restorative techniques, dentists generally charge the same price to complete a CEREC restoration as they would doing the same procedure without using the CEREC machine.