Whether you are following the latest iPhone or the newest UltraHD televisions, we know that times are changing and our technological capabilities are endless. Just recently, a man launched a rocket to Mars with his Tesla car in it! Although some of us may want to stay back with the phones on the wall, 8-Track tapes, and Atari; the progression of technology is inevitable.
Some may argue that ever changing technology can get in the way of what could be referred to as, “the simple life.” However, we cannot deny how fortunate we are to have the technological advances that many talented minds have provided for us in the medical world. Dr. Spooner and her team at Falcon Park Dental Group in Highlands Ranch, Colorado pride themselves in staying up to date with the latest technologies through continuing education and hands on experience. One of the many dental technologies that Dr. Spooner and her team use is Sirona’s Cerec CAD/CAM technology.
Cerec technology has revolutionized the way that dental restorations are done. In most cases, we are able to ditch the gooey impression materials and use the Cerec machine to scan our patient’s mouths in order to create a 3D model of the area we are treating. We use this model to design the restoration needed and mill it right in the office! Your provider has the ability to use various materials and will choose the best material for the treatment needed. Most full coverage crowns will use zirconia or e.max materials. These materials are sintered in an oven much like you would a piece of pottery in order to achieve the final product. These materials also have the capability to be glazed for more customization. All of this can be done in 2.5 hours or less for one tooth! No more temporaries and having to come back to the office.
Many patients embrace Cerec technology and cherish the time savings of having restorations completed in one day. However, there are some patients that ask why we don’t use a lab if that is what the insurance company is covering. To be quite honest, the materials that most insurance companies are downgrading restorations to are inferior to the capabilities we have today. Cerec not only provides a time savings, it is more accurate and provides materials that are some of the strongest on the market. These restorations also wear similar to natural teeth and won’t cause unnecessary wear to your own teeth with continued use over time. Furthermore, cerec restorations are translucent on an x-ray which means that providers are able to see through them and monitor the tooth underneath the restoration. Other types of restoration materials show a bright white spot on an x-ray and the only way to determine what could be wrong under a restoration when signs and symptoms present is to cut it off and start over. This results in more trauma to the tooth and more cost to the patient. Furthermore, each Cerec restoration has a manufacturer warranty for 5 years against any fracturing. There are conditions to maintain this warranty including maintaining your 6-month exams and following your provider’s recommendations for nightguards, materials, etc. Ultimately, Cerec technology can achieve results that some lab restorations simply cannot compete with. The margins are better, the provider has total control over the design, there is less distortion with digital scans, and the patient spends less time in the chair.