The Cerec Procedure

Let's face it, very few of us have perfect teeth, free of decay and fillings. In many cases, those fillings are made of metal material that can fail as they weaken the tooth, or allow new decay under or around it. In fact, 1.2 billion of these metal fillings will need to be replaced in the next 10 years. Cerec® is a digital system used by thousands of dentists worldwide since 1987 to restore teeth that are decayed, weakened or broken. Better yet, it's done with all-ceramic materials that are tooth colored in a single appointment! Dr. Swenson was among the first of local Orem dentists to utilize this great technology. As a respected Orem cosmetic dentist, offering patients the option of natural looking crowns with same day convenience is central to Dr. Swenson's standard of care.

Exam and Preparation

First, Dr. Swenson examines the tooth and determines the appropriate treatment. It could be a simple filling, or a full crown, depending on how much healthy tooth structure is remaining. Next, Dr. Swenson administers an anesthetic and prepares your tooth for the restoration, removing decayed and weakened tooth tissue. This preparation is the same for many other restorative techniques.

Optical Impression

After the tooth is preapred, Dr. Swenson will take an "Optical Impression" of the prepared tooth instead of filling a tray with impression "goop" that you bite into and hold in your mouth until hardened. To complete this process, Dr. Swenson coats the treated tooth with a non-toxic, tasteless powder. A digital scanner is then used to take a 3-dimensional picture of your tooth. This whole Optical Impression process only takes a minute or two. Next, The Cerec® 3D software takes the 3-dimensionl picture of your tooth and converts it into a virtual model on the computer screen. Dr. Swenson then uses his cosmetic dental expertise to design the restoration using the Cerec® 3D computer program.

Restorations Created While You Wait!

Within a few minutes the restoration design is sent to a separate milling machine in the office. A ceramic block that matches your tooth shade is placed in the milling machine and within 20 minutes your all-ceramic, tooth-colored restoration is finished. Finally, Dr. Swenson tries the restoration in your mouth to ensure proper fit and bite and then it is polished and bonded to the prepared tooth. No temporary crown or return trip is necessary, everything is taken care of here at your Orem dentist office.

Cerec® is a registered trademark of Sirona Dental Systems