Single-Visit Crowns and Onlays using CEREC 3D

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Donato Dental incorporates CAD/CAM technology in providing patients with conservative single-visit crowns and onlays using CEREC 3D.

There are currently over 10,000 CEREC users world-wide and over 6 million restorations placed since its inception 15 years ago. The 3D version of CEREC which was introduced about 2 years ago, has made it both easier and practical to incorporate this technology to practice since the amount of time required to design and fabricate a crown has been streamlined considerably.

With CEREC crowns and onlays, there are NO impressions, NO temporaries and NO second visit. Furthermore, the preparation requires less removal of tooth structure than conventional methods.

Here’s a brief summary of how it works:
Once a tooth is prepared for a crown or onlay, an optical image of the preparation is taken instead of an impression. The image is processed by a computer and a restoration is designed by the dentist on a computer generated model which shows all images in 3 dimensions.

Once the design of the restoration is completed, the information is sent to a robotic milling unit which precisely mills out the crown or onlay out of a block of porcelain. The imaging, designing and milling processes usually takes about the same amount of time as it took to take an impression and make a temporary. The finished restoration is then polished and cemented in at the same appointment! Since there are no laboratory fees associated with CEREC restorations, the cost of the crown to the patient is the same as a conventional crown. We are very pleased to offer this exciting technology to our patients.

Published September 10, 2004