What Is CEREC? (And Why Does it Matter?)

Categories: Articles, Bridges, CEREC, Crowns, General Dentistry, NewsAuthor: admin

At our holistic dental practice in Encinitas, we use the latest and most technologically advanced equipment. Part of our advanced “tool set” is Sirona’s new CEREC AC unit (as well as the new milling unit). While that may just sound like a fancy way to increase prices, it’s actually much more (and in fact, this unit has allowed us to reduce some of our prices).

So what is CEREC? How can CEREC help you, the patient? Why should you choose a CEREC doctor? I’ll try to answer those questions and more, below.

WHAT IS CEREC?
CEREC stands for Ceramic Reconstruction and is a sophisticated system of designing and making high quality, metal-free dental restorations in one patient visit. Developed by Sirona, CEREC utilizes 3D photography and CAD/CAM technology to assist a dentist in designing a virtual restoration (onlay, inlay, crown, or bridge) without taking impressions and, when combined with a milling unit, is able to build the actual restoration while you are still in the chair.

The computer system and camera in the CEREC AC unit have been upgraded substantially from prior units, allowing even a new user to create near perfect restorations on a routine basis.

After being a “CEREC” doctor for almost a decade, I understand the value of what CEREC brings to a practice and a patient. That’s why we recently upgraded to the latest and greatest machine, the CEREC AC. This machine allows us to take digital impressions for restorations (no more gagging on impressions!) and make precise restorations that look excellent, fit perfectly, and last a long time — all out of biocompatible, metal-free materials and all in very little time (a typical crown appointment lasts less than 2 hours, and you don’t need to come back to finish the work… it’s all done in one visit).

HOW YOU BENEFIT:
By upgrading our CEREC machine, we are able to do same-day restorations on almost all procedures (you can have a complete crown done in under two hours, in one visit), including inlays, onlays, crowns, and even some bridges, often at a lower cost to you. Restorations look outstanding, last a long time, and are biocompatible and metal-free. Fewer visits and a lower cost… that’s a pretty good benefit!

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU NEED A CEREC RESTORATION?
If you have been told you need a new crown, inlay, onlay or bridge, you may be a CEREC candidate. If you have a cracked tooth, old failing restorations, or otherwise large damage on your teeth, you may be a CEREC candidate. If you are interested in replacing old metal restorations with biocompatible restorations, you might be a CEREC candidate. Essentially, any large restoration in your mouth may be a possible candidate for a CEREC restoration (this is NOT to say that just because you have an old crown, you need a new one… IF an old restoration needs replacing, CEREC may be a good option for you).

HOW IT WORKS:
The cavity preparation is first photographed and stored as a three dimensional digital model and proprietary software is then used to approximate the restoration shape using biogeneric comparisons to surrounding teeth. The practitioner then refines that model using 3D CAD software. When the model is complete a milling machine carves the actual restoration out of a ceramic block using diamond head cutters under computer control. When complete, the restoration is bonded to the tooth using a resin. CEREC is an acronym for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics. (courtesy http://www.cerec.net/index.php/index.html/_/news/products/what-is-cerec-r2)

HISTORY:
The system is manufactured by Sirona Dental Systems in Bensheim, Germany . 1980 Development of the CEREC method at the University of Zurich W. Mörmann, M. Brandestini). 1985 Treatment of the first patient with CEREC (University of Zurich, material: VITABLOCS Mark I). 1986 Siemens acquires the license to market and further develop the CEREC equipment. 1987 CEREC 1 is introduced (chief indication: single and dual-surface inlays; material: VITABLOCS Mark II). 1990 International CEREC Symposium at the University of Zurich. 1991 Hydraulic machining drive replaced by an electronically controlled motor. 1994 CEREC 2 is introduced (range of indications: inlays, onlays, veneers). 1996 CAD/CAM Symposium to mark a decade of CEREC (University of Zurich). 1997 Sirona was formed as the result of the sale of the Dental Division of Siemens AG. 1997 CROWN 1.0 program for producing full-ceramic posterior crowns. 1998 Second material manufacturer partnership is formed (lvoclar, ProCAD). 1998 CROWN 1.11 program for producing posterior and anterior restorations. 2000 CEREC 3 is introduced (compact Windows-based CAD/CAM system). 2000 Third material manufacturer partnership is formed (3M Paradigm MZ100). 2002 More than 2,500 CEREC users in the United States and over 5,000,000 CEREC restorations placed worldwide. 2003 3D software version is released, allowing users to see 3D views of teeth and models. 2006 CEREC Celebrates 20 Years. 2006 Sirona releases BIOGENERIC version of software. This software allows for the machine to accurately reconstruct the missing tooth shape and surface. 2007 More than 23,000 CEREC users world wide. 2008 Sirona release the MCXL milling unit, this milling unit can produce a crown in 4 mins. 2009 Sirona release CEREC Acquisition Center (AC) powered by Bluecam (courtesy http://www.cerec.net/index.php/index.html/_/news/products/what-is-cerec-r2)

THE FUTURE OF DENTISTRY:
CAD/CAM dentistry such as CEREC is the future of dentistry. Utilizing modern technology, a dentist can produce an accurate, safe, biocompatible dental crown, inlay, onlay, or bridge, in just one visit. Technological advances make the system easier to use, more accurate (so you get a better fit right away, which means great comfort and fewer adjustments later), and faster (saving you time in the chair). More dentists are turning to this new technology. Some are new to the system. Others (like us) have been using it for years. While it isn’t perfect (some adjustments will need to be made, and you still need to spend a good amount of time at the dentist), anything that saves you time and money while increasing quality and comfort is a good thing for both the patient AND the dentist.

---

ABOUT: Dr. Marvin is a licensed dentist in California with more than 10 years of experience using CEREC technology. As a holistic, natural dental practice, The Center for Natural Dentistry is proud to offer CEREC services to patients who are seeking high quality, biocompatible crowns, onlays, inlays, and bridges in just one visit. To schedule an appointment or for more information, please contact us at 888-825-5351 or by completing the form at http://naturaldentistry.us/contact-us/

Save on CEREC Restorations and 3D Cone Beam Scans

Categories: 3D Cone Beam Scan X-Ray, Bridges, CEREC, Crowns, Dr. Marvin's Blog, encinitas dentist, General Dentistry, Holistic Dentistry, Hot Topics, NewsAuthor: Dr. Marvin

Hi! I hope the summer has been treating you well! We’ve been slammed at the office and I’ve fallen behind on our newsletter, but I have some exciting news to share that you might be able to benefit from.

(As a side note, most of this pertains to people in our area. I will be writing another article in the coming days with some news about the FDA and mercury fillings, as well as some new dental tips, so stay tuned for that email in the next week or so).

We recently invested in some exciting new equipment for our practice that allows us to improve the services we can provide and to provide some of those services at a lower cost. To celebrate, we are offering our friends and patients an opportunity to save a good chuck of change on some dental work. What do I mean? Well first, let me explain what we got:

WHAT WE GOT:
We have integrated a 3D Cone Beam scanner into our practice. As many of our patients already know, we have long supported and recommended cone beam scans to help improve diagnostics while decreasing your exposure to radiation. But it was often difficult to schedule an appointment for such images and could be cost prohibitive. Now, with a machine in our practice, we are able to provide high quality scans in less time and often for lower costs.

HOW YOU BENEFIT:
3D Cone Beam scans provide the highest resolution scans possible at the lowest possible radiation levels. This means that we can pinpoint problems easier and be more precise in our diagnosis. These scans are infinitely more detailed than any other dental radiography technology on the market and are available in very few dental practices in the country.

WHAT WE GOT:
After being a “CEREC” doctor for almost a decade, I understand the value of what CEREC brings to a practice and a patient. That’s why we recently upgraded to the latest and greatest machine, the CEREC AC. This machine allows us to take digital impressions for restorations (no more gagging on impressions!) and make precise restorations that look excellent, fit perfectly, and last a long time — all out of biocompatible, metal-free materials and all in very little time.

HOW YOU BENEFIT:
By upgrading our CEREC machine, we are able to do same-day restorations on almost all procedures, including inlays, onlays, crowns, and bridges, often at a lower cost to you. Restorations look outstanding, last a long time, and are biocompatible and metal-free. Fewer visits and a lower cost… that’s a pretty good benefit!

What’s in it all for you? If you have any work you need to have done (do you have a chipped tooth? Do you need a crown replaced? Do you have a missing tooth and need a bridge?) we are offering 13% off on the first CEREC restoration you have done in our practice in July. The offer includes inlays, onlays, bridges, and crowns done on our new CEREC. It’s good for one restoration. It’s good for the first 8 people who respond and schedule an appointment for the month of July.

Keep in mind, we are rapidly filling our July calendar (we have a few appointments left at the end of the month) and we do not plan to extend this offer. So if you have work you need done, please call soon and make sure you get scheduled while we still have spots available and to ensure you are one the first 8 people.

When you call, tell Sasja that you are responding to my email offer and would like to be scheduled in July (you can reach her at 888-825-5351. If she doesn’t pick up right away, she’s probably on the other line. Feel free to leave a message and she’ll call you back as soon as possible).

If you don’t need any work done or you aren’t in our area, I appreciate you reading this far into my email and I hope you’re enjoying your summer. As I mentioned at the beginning of this letter, I promise to have some information about the FDA’s about-face on mercury amalgam fillings as well as some new dental tips and info in the next few days, so stay tuned.

Thanks!
Dr. Marvin

The Difference Between Dental Bridges

Categories: Articles, Bridges, Dr. Marvin's Blog, encinitas dentist, General Dentistry, Holistic DentistryAuthor: Dr. Marvin

What’s a dental bridge? It’s a single unit that replaces one or more missing teeth by attaching a prosthetic to teeth adjacent to the missing tooth (or teeth). Pretty simple right? You’re missing a tooth, so you put in a bridge. End of story. Right…..?

Well, not exactly. Not all bridges are made the same. Some are made from noble metals (like gold), some are made from “silver” metals, some are made from metal with white porcelain fused on top (these are the most common currently), and some are biocompatible and completely metal free.

Then there’s the “construction” type. Do the attachments act like crowns and completely cover the adjacent teeth? Does the dentist cut away a large portion of healthy teeth on either side in order to place a bridge? Are there more conservative bridges that conserve more teeth? The answer is “yes” to all of the above.

Choosing the Right Bridge for You:

At The Center for Natural Dentistry in Encinitas, we only place metal-free, biocompatible bridges. We are a holistic dental practice in San Diego County, and our focus is on doing work that’s good for your mouth and your body. That means that we always strive to create the strongest, most conservative bridges possible. In most cases, this results in a biocompatible onlay bridge or inlay bridge. While metal bridges are certainly strong, they can actually be too strong, causing the tooth to weaken under the bridge and eventually leading to the loos of the tooth (does this pattern sound familiar: You have a cavity, fill it with an amalgam filling. Decay forms around the filling. Filling is redone. More decay. Root Canal. Root Canal fails, so you get a crown. Crown fails, so you have the tooth pulled and get a metal bridge. Teeth holding the bridge decay and need to be pulled. Metal dentures replace the missing teeth. Metal often causes future dental problems and can sometimes lead to other systemic and acute health problems).

So what’s the answer? A bridge that is strong, forgiving, esthetically pleasing, metal-free, and doesn’t unnecessarily and expressively remove healthy teeth.

That’s exactly what we do at our Encinitas holistic dental practice. We make strong, metal-free onlay and inlay bridges that conserve surrounding teeth because they require less material to anchor the bridge in. We make some of these bridges in a high-quality laboratory and some on our Cerec machine on the office. The result is less healthy tooth loss and a long-lasting, strong, biocompatible bridge.

So if inlay and onlay bridges are better, why do they sometimes cost more? Well, there are a variety of factors that go into the cost of a bridge. Materials used is a large part of it. The difficulty in properly placing a bridge so it will last and won’t create decay in the adjacent teeth is also part of it. The amount of skill and experience required to place an inlay bridge is often higher than that for a traditional bridge. As the old saying goes: you get what you pay for. If you want a bridge that will last a long time, will create a solid biting surface, won’t do necessary damage to the adjacent teeth, won’t cause harm to your overall health, and looks natural in your mouth (both along the gumline and in in conjunction with the surrounding teeth), then this is probably the type of bridge you are looking for.

Some pictures are below to illustrate exactly what an inlay bridge. This is one of the biocompatible inlay bridges made at our Encinitas holistic dental practice.

Bridging the Gap

Categories: BridgesAuthor: admin

Healthy, strong teeth support and maintain your jaws alignment. That is why when you lose one or more teeth, your remaining teeth may shift, and your ability to chew and speak can be affected. A bridge replaces missing teeth with artificial teeth, eliminating the gap where those teeth had been. The bridge is connected to adjacent teeth for support. Regardless of the type of bridge recommended, it’s success depends on keeping the surrounding teeth and gums clean.

Nowadays, dental implants are recommended prior to being given an option for a bridge.  We can help determine which is best for you.