When a tooth is damaged, fractured or badly weakened, it sometimes needs to be restored with a crown or an inlay. Thanks to digital technologies, these restorations can now be designed and placed in a single session. That is the case with the CEREC CAD-CAM system, an innovative solution that combines precision, comfort and aesthetics.
What is CAD-CAM/CEREC technology?
CAD-CAM stands for Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing. The CEREC system applies this technology to dentistry. After scanning the patient’s tooth to create a 3D impression, the dentist designs the restoration directly with specialized software. It is then made on site in a milling unit.
This process produces a restoration perfectly fitted to the anatomy of the tooth, without an outside laboratory or several appointments.
Crowns and inlays: two types of restorations
With CAD-CAM technology, the most common restorations are:
- The dental crown: it completely covers a weakened tooth, restoring its shape, strength and natural appearance. It may be appropriate for a tooth that has had a deep cavity or a fracture, or after a root canal treatment.
- The ceramic inlay (inlay or onlay): it replaces only the damaged part of the tooth, preserving more of its natural structure.
Preferred materials: zirconia and e.max ceramic
Depending on the tooth to restore and the patient’s needs, two materials are mainly used with CAD-CAM technology:
- Zirconia: extremely strong, it is especially suited to molars, which take heavy pressure when chewing. It is therefore mainly used for crowns.
- e.max ceramic: very attractive and durable, it faithfully reproduces the look of natural teeth, which makes it an ideal choice for visible teeth and for inlays.
These modern materials combine strength and beauty for reliable, harmonious restorations.
The advantages of CEREC for patients
Choosing a CAD-CAM/CEREC restoration has many benefits:
- Treatment in a single visit: the crown or inlay is designed, made and placed at the same appointment.
- Optical impressions: taken with a digital scanner, they replace unpleasant traditional paste impressions.
- A precise fit: computer-aided design ensures a perfect fit to the tooth.
- A natural-looking result: the restorations blend into the smile thanks to translucent, durable materials.
- Great longevity: zirconia and e.max ceramic are designed to last many years.
The process step by step
- 3D impression of the tooth with a digital scanner.
- Virtual design of the restoration by the dentist, directly on screen.
- Milling of the restoration in a robotic unit, on site at the clinic.
- Fitting and adjustment of the crown or inlay, then its final placement.
All of this is usually done in one appointment of about two hours, which saves the patient a lot of time and travel.
Limitations and precautions
CAD-CAM technology is not suitable for every case. Some very complex restorations may still require an outside laboratory. As with any crown or inlay, good oral hygiene and regular dental check-ups are essential for the restoration to last, whatever the material and technique used to make it.
CAD-CAM / CEREC vs. traditional methods
Traditionally, a crown required at least two appointments: a first to prepare the tooth and take a paste impression, then a second to place the lab-made crown. In between, the patient had to wear a temporary crown, since it took about two weeks to make the final restoration.
With CAD-CAM CEREC, all these steps are combined in a single visit thanks to optical impressions and on-site milling, which greatly simplifies treatment.
Why choose Centre Dentaire Ethier & Nadeau?
At Centre Dentaire Ethier & Nadeau, CAD-CAM technology lets us offer patients precise, durable and attractive restorations, completed in a single appointment. The team is skilled with zirconia and e.max ceramic and can offer solutions suited to each situation.
With this approach, patients receive complete, fast and safe care, with no compromise on quality or on the look of their smile.
