Dental care technology has come a long way over the years. The use of special digital x-rays, intraoral cameras, advanced diagnostic equipment, and other tools have allowed dentists to give patients the best possible preventative and restorative care. These advances in dental medicine have also improved efficiency for dentists and enhanced the convenience for patients.
Case in point: CEREC® technology. The team at our Houston cosmetic dentistry practice feel that CEREC® technology has revolutionized the way dentists can deliver care. Since many people are unfamiliar with it, we’d like to take a brief moment right now to look at CEREC® technology.
What is CEREC® technology?
CEREC® is an in-office, on-site milling unit that greatly reduces the need for an outside dental lab. The CEREC® machine allows us to craft veneers, inlays, onlays, and dental crowns on-site. This allows our cosmetic and restorative dentist in Houston to give patients convenient and efficient care.
Traditional Crafting of Dental Restorations
The traditional restorative dentistry method for dental restorations required dentists to take impressions of prepped teeth during an initial visit. These impressions would then be sent to an off-site dental lab which would craft the dental restoration based on the impressions.
The turnaround was anywhere 5 to 10 business days, during which time patients would wear temporary dental restorations. Patients would have to make a second trip to the practice for fitting and placement of the permanent dental restoration.
This worked fine for years, but as times change, so do we, and for the better.
How CEREC® is Different
With CEREC® technology, patients will be able to have impressions taken and the restorations made in the same visit, with no need for temporary Houston dental crowns or other temporary restorations.
The CEREC® Procedure
First the patient’s teeth are cleaned and prepped as usual. A digital impression of the teeth is taken and then sent to the CEREC® milling machine. Using this detailed digital map, the milling unit will craft the custom dental restoration out of a block of dental ceramic. Once completed, the dentist can then make final adjustments to the restoration and place them as needed.
In all, rather than having the patient make two visits to the office a week or two apart, CEREC® technology allows patients to be in and out of the office in just two hours with custom-crafted permanent dental restorations. Just look at the time that’s saved by this state-of-the-art dental care solution.
Other Considerations for Dental Aesthetics
In addition to restorative enhancements through advanced technology, there are plenty of ways that dental technology has improve cosmetic care. Using lasers, plastic polymers, and the latest bleaching agents, we have been able to give people beautiful smiles that will last them for a lifetime. We’d love to discuss this all in more detail during your visit to our practice.
Learn More About Advanced Restorative Dentistry
For more information about advanced dental care treatments, be sure to contact our Houston cosmetic and restorative dentistry practice today. The entire team looks forward to helping you achieve the best possible care. We are here to help you make the best possible decisions.
