Direct restorations with CEREC

CEREC is a modern procedure for the direct creation of all-ceramic dentures in a single session. This is made possible by using a 3D camera to take an optical impression of the tooth or teeth. The dental prosthesis is designed virtually. It is possible to produce inlays, crowns, partial crowns, small bridges and veneers using this method. The information is transmitted to the milling unit, which mills the restorations from a ceramic block. This is a CAD/CAM process and not a 3D printing process. Many different ceramic blocks are available, including blocks in which the restorations are subsequently painted and sintered in a ceramic furnace.

CEREC – a procedure with great advantages

With this form of fabrication, the prosthesis is inserted in the same appointment, so that no temporary crowns need to be inserted. This also eliminates the need for a temporary cement, which usually has a negative effect on the final cementation with an adhesive cement. There is also no need for an impression, which is more unpleasant than a camera image.

Procedure of a typical CEREC treatment

The procedure of a typical CEREC session is as follows: The tooth or teeth in question are anesthetized and ground down. The teeth in the treatment area are photographed, as are the opposing jaw and the bite. This first step takes about 20-30 minutes. The restoration is then designed and milled on the computer, which takes another 20 minutes. The patient now has a break from treatment and waits for the restoration to be completed. In most cases, we use blocks that have to be sintered afterwards, which takes another 45 minutes, but the patient can also read something during this time or leave the practice briefly.