The CEREC system involves two types of equipment (its tridimensional software which uses information about the teeth and mouth of the patient in order to create 3D digital images) and a milling unit (using images to create restorations). Stoma Medical’s smile aesthetic now uses CEREC technology to create beautiful facets and porcelain dental caps that are personalized, as well as inlays and onlays done in just one visit to our clinic – a major improvement compared to the more traditional methods, which require that a temporary restauration is used for a week or more, while a personalised dental cap is being produced in a specilised laboratory. CEREC restaurations are just as attractive and long-lasting as those conceived in dental laboratories and often used in reconstructive dentistry or cosmetic dentistry, as a means to attaining a perfect smile. With CEREC you can regain your oral health and in one visit scheduled at your convenience. In order to find out more about CEREC technology, contact StomaMedical today to schedule a free appointment.
What are dental caps?
Dental caps are durable coatings placed over the structure of the tooth in order to strengthen weak teeth or fallen. These are often used to protect a damaged tooth, to restore a tooth that has undergone a root canal treatment, to keep a dental bridge in position or to cover a dental implant. These restorations made out of porcelain are designed to blend in comfortably with the tooth enamel, and also to mix with the surrounding teeth without any issues, in order to offer structural and aesthetic support. While many dental caps are made using composite materials, our dental cosmeticians have discovered that porcelain can offer a higher degree of resistance in time, in addition to natural beauty which resembles very much tooth enamel. According to your unique requirements, dental caps can offer a vital protection to an improved bite, as well as an improved look to your smile.
Dental caps in one day
CEREC vs. Traditional caps made in a dental clinic
Many dentists and patients agree that CEREC betters the conventional placement methods of dental caps, allowing for a more comfortable treatment experience, better results with a higher level of precision and a considerable reduction in time, normally allocated for treatment. The traditional convention for dental caps means that each patient needs to bite into a type of material used to create an accurate impression of the patient’s teeth, which will then be sent to a dental laboratory for modelling. Without CEREC this procedure would be a must, so as to achieve a personalized restoration, which would insure an appropriate fit for the mouth and bite.
CEREC discharges the need for the external creation of the dental cap. Using the latest computer software, CEREC creates a digital image of teeth. 3D images are then rendered on a computer screen, allowing for you to see the restoration before being manufactored. These informations are then processed and sent to a milling machine where your restoration is made out of hard porcelain and then placed over the tooth in just one visit to the clinic. By the time you leave our clinic, you can already enjoy your new high quality dental cap.
What are dental inlays and onlays?
Sometimes, the dental decay of a tooth is not sufficiently significant to ensure that a dental cap can be placed. Inlays and onlays are colored porcelain coverings placed on teeth, which can offer a higher protection than a filling, yet are not made to fully close the dental structure the same way as a dental cap. While an inlay is positioned on the inside of the tooth’s surface, onlays are meant to cover one or more sharp edges found on top of the tooth, as well as the interior surface. Inlays and onlays can strenghten and restore the damaged walls of the tooth’s enamel, while also offering a flawless and natural appearance to your smile.
Dental Inlays and Onlay Fillings
Dental fillings have long been used to restore teeth that have been affected by mild cavities. Normally used in its traditional form with the help of a number of materials (either gold, amalgam or composite) in order to fill the damaged area of a tooth, these are regarded as a constant solution to restoring the weakened integrity of the enamel, while also making sure that no further damage is being made. Even so, patients in need of an extended protection of a damaged tooth can normally benefit more from porcelain inlays and onlays, which cover a larger proportion of the tooth’s structure. These coverings are used when a tooth’s degree of damage does not require a dental cap. Unlike fillings, our inlays and onlays are custom made using CEREC technology, in order to easily adjust over the damaged areas of your teeth.
LONGER CEREC RESTORATION
Dental caps, inlays and onlays made using CEREC technology can offer years, even decades of stability and beauty when they are being taken care of properly. While these porcelain restorations have surpassed 20 to 30 years of use in the case of some patients, the terms of validity for the CEREC dental cap, as well as inlays and onlays will eventually depend on how well the patient will take care of it once placed within the dental cavity. Once the CEREC restoration is adjusted to a tooth it behaves just like a normal tooth and therefore, is affected in a similar manner by dental cavities and germs. Good oral health care such as daily brushing, using dental floss, as well as going for regular dental checks can usually reduce to a minimum the chances of a premature refusal of the long term protective restoration of teeth enamel. Although it is known that tooth grinding and clenching causes the excessive wear and unnecessary deterioration of teeth, finding solutions such as overnight dental protection can usually extend the life of a CEREC restoration, if you are inclined to carry out unjustified pressure on the enamel.
