At Empire Dental Clinic we have adopted the use of CAD/CAM i.e Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing that has been used extensively in many manufacturing and engineering fields. Slightly over two decades ago, at the University of Zurich, the technology was used to create what is now called the CEREC, a method which creates porcelain dental restorations in a matter of minutes instead of days.
Our computer programs displays a 3-D custom images of teeth and gums, allowing our dentists to precisely design the tooth restoration with functional and aesthetic characteristics in mind. Once the restoration has been designed by the computer and cosmetic dentist, the information is sent to a sculpting machine (milling) which creates the restoration to the exact specifications of the design through CAM. There is no need for impression taking, temporaries or unnecessary reduction of healthy tooth structure.
This technology is so precise that dental restorations made by CAD/CAM often fit better than those made by hand in a dental lab. Patient satisfaction is being increased simply because you can have your tooth repaired in a single day, instead of having to return for repeat appointments. Spending time in the dentist’s chair is low on most people’s priority lists, and CAD/CAM dentistry technology is helping you move on faster than ever before.
One of the most effective uses of CAD/CAM in clinics is the same-day porcelain crown, which removes several steps, including using a temporary plastic crown while a permanent crown is made by a laboratory. With CAD/CAM your restorations are placed in a single appointment.
Because the most common CAD/CAM dental technologies use sculpted porcelain to create crowns and other types of dental fixtures such as inlays and onlays, the technology is even promoting safer dental restorations by reducing the use of metal amalgam fillings, which often contain traces of mercury. Using metal free materials that are the closest to your natural enamel, CEREC gives you the highest quality restorative care.
By using the CAD/CAM technology our dentist are in complete control of the final result. Since the crown, inlay, onlay or veneer is designed and fabricated from start to finish by your dentist, he has total control over how it will look and fit. A crown made in a laboratory is under the control of the technician and assistants who work of plaster models and haven’t even seen the patient.
• Accuracy of shape prevents gapping between tooth crowns and surrounding teeth
• Immediate 3D images remove the need for taking time-consuming impressions of teeth
• Computer sculpting creates a much healthier restoration for the tooth in a matter of minutes
• Short sculpting time allows the dentist to place your dental restoration during the same visit, instead of requiring two visits
• CAD/CAM restorations are better-fitting, more durable and more natural looking (multi-colored and translucent, similar to natural teeth) than previously machined restorations.
