With the increase in technology, everything is changing rather quickly. This is true in the dental field as well, of course. A new technology that has come out is called CEREC dental restoration. This is an incredibly effect and fast way to have teeth crowned and restored. In fact, it takes about half the time to do a dental restoration this way compared to the technologies of the past. Most dental offices are still using the old way of doing things, but CEREC is making big strides in overtaking the older way of restoration.

The reason CEREC is taking over is because it is easier on the patient. In years past, a crown or a dental restoration would take two days to complete. The first day would be when the patient would go in, have the cavity or root canal done and the tooth prepared. A mold would be taken for the preparation of the crown and then a temporary crown would be placed on the prepared tooth. After a few weeks, the patient would go back in, the temporary crown would be removed and the permanent one cemented in place. This is done in two visits over a period of a few weeks.

With CEREC dental restoration, everything can be done in one visit. The patient will go in, have the tooth repaired with a filling or root cancel. The tooth will be prepared for the crown or restoration and then something different takes place. The dentist will take several pictures of the prepared tooth. These pictures will be sent to a computer. The dentist can manipulate the pictures with special software and the software will create what the tooth should look like and the exact placement of it. Then, a machine will use that information to create a custom made crown right in the office from a porcelain block. The crown is then cemented in place and the restoration is complete.

CEREC dental restoration takes a few hours from start to finish. The patient walks in with a damaged tooth and leaves with a permanent porcelain replacement. The old porcelain crown takes a few weeks total and two visits. Plus, of course, the patient has to struggle with that temporary one for a few weeks which isn't easy. CEREC is easily the better option for dental restoration.