CEREC

Serving Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe and Scottsdale, Arizona

Creating or restoring beautiful smiles used to take more than one visit to the dentist. But using CEREC technology, we can create these smiles on the same day.

Developed in 1985, CEREC is still the only dental CAD/CAM restorative system done chair side in the world. CEREC is an acronym for:

If you need a veneer, crown, or onlay, and you’re pressed for time, CEREC is the technology you’ve been waiting for. Without CEREC, you would need to return for a second visit to have your restoration placed. With CEREC, it’s all done in one visit.

Many people have metal fillings. They can weaken the tooth, allow decay in under the filling, and get darker as they age. They can loosen and fall out. Many will need to be replaced in ten years. A porcelain inlay or onlay can replace metal fillings, and the CEREC system can do it in one visit.

The Procedure

As with any visit to the dentist, the first step is an examination, where cosmetic dentists Dr. Lesueur and Dr. Dodaro will determine what treatment you need. Depending on how healthy your tooth is, you might need a filling or a crown. The dentists will give you an anesthetic and remove any damaged tissue, to prepare the tooth for its pearly porcelain restoration.

Next, they will take an optical impression of the tooth. Rather than using hardening materials that you must bite into and hold, they will apply a tasteless, non-toxic powder. Using our digital intraoral camera we will take one or more pictures of the tooth. This process takes only minutes.

The CEREC machine

The digital picture of your tooth is converted into a 3D model of your new restoration. Instead of sending this to a dental lab and waiting several weeks for the restoration to be made and sent to him, Dr. Lesueur or Dr. Dodaro simply inputs it to his CEREC machine. A ceramic block matching your tooth shade is placed into the machine and in 10 to 20 minutes, the restoration is finished. After checking for proper fit and bite, Dr. Lesueur or Dr. Dodaro will bond the restoration in place, so that it is now a part of your tooth. The final step is to polish it.

In one appointment, your tooth is restored. There is no need to return to replace a temporary crown or onlay with the permanent one.

No longer will you have to worry about a mouth of metal fillings or wearing temporary crowns. If you are in the Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, or Tempe, Arizona area, please contact CREC technology specialists Scott Lesueur, DDS or Dr. Charles Dodaro. You’ll be on your way to the smile you have been waiting for.