New technology creates natural-looking fillings and crowns in a single visit
Drs. Greg Frodel and Lawrence Braithwaite of West Pasco Family Dental announce the availability of tooth-colored fillings and crowns, formed to exact tooth dimensions in a single office visit. The new approach to tooth restoration is made possible by innovative CEREC® CAD/CAM technology that designs and mills a custom ceramic restoration in less than 10 minutes.
“We are pleased to offer our patients the most convenient and esthetically pleasing tooth restoration process available today,” said Dr. Frodel. “Time is increasingly precious, and we recognize that most people don’t see the dentist office as a favorite past time. Using the CEREC equipment we can provide a great looking smile to our patients in a single visit, letting them get back to the more important things in life.”
CEREC is comprised of a Bluecam which features a blue LED light source, a medical grade computer and a milling machine, all located on site at the West Pasco Family Dental office. The system allows Drs. Greg Frodel and Lawrence Braithwaite to repair a damaged tooth in about one hour using tooth-colored ceramic restorations. The camera takes an optical impression of the damaged tooth, eliminating the need for cumbersome and uncomfortable impression molds, and uploads the image to the computer. Once in the system, the dentist uses 3D CAD (Computer Aided Design) software to design the restoration. Then the CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) system takes over to automatically create the restoration while the patient waits. Finally, the new custom-crafted restoration is bonded to the remaining healthy tooth tissue of the damaged tooth.
Restorations created using CEREC technology offer dental patients a long-lasting, esthetic alternative to silver or plastic fillings, crowns and veneers. Better yet, the patient can receive this smile-altering care in a shorter period of time. Traditional approaches often required a return appointment after the patient waited for the restoration to be manufactured in a separate lab. On-site milling eliminates the wait. CEREC restorations are as durable as traditionally fabricated restorations and are similar to patients’ natural dentition in form and function.
“This equipment greatly enhances the efficiency, accuracy and visual appeal of the restorations we can provide,” said Frodel. “Patients will benefit from more timely and more comfortable care that puts them back on track quickly. We are optimistic that the availability of CEREC restorations will help some patients overcome their fears when they see how fast and painless the treatment process can be. We believe everyone should have access to their best smile, and CEREC will make that possible for more people.”
CEREC has more than two decades of clinical research and documentation to support the technology. The restorations have been proven precise, safe and effective, with more than 25 million performed worldwide.
West Pasco Family Dental serves the Tri-Cities, WA area with family friendly dentistry while leading the industry in convenience and technology.