CEREC

Today, there's no need to merely imagine how nice it would be to have a dental crown fabricated in a single visit. With CEREC technology and advanced systems of care, multiple trips to the dentist are a thing of the past! Now, one appointment is all it takes for our skilled and experienced dentist to design, fabricate, and place a naturally beautiful and long-lasting same-day crown. And, best of all, unlike conventional methods of care, you won't have to endure messy dental impressions, wear a temporary crown, or wait weeks for your permanent restoration to come back from the laboratory.

Offering a level of precision and comfort that exceeds conventional methods of care, CEREC technology is nothing short of amazing! Advanced CAD/CAM technology, which stands for computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing, enables our dentist to translate images from an optically scan tooth into a 3D virtual model upon which a custom crown can be digitally designed. Once this step is done, the detailed specs are then wirelessly transmitted to a chairside 3D milling machine to fabricate your new ceramic crown while you wait!

With conventional methods of care, a dental crown can take two to three visits to fabricate and place. However, thanks to the benefits of CEREC technology, we can prepare a tooth, then design, fabricate, and place your new crown, all while you wait.

With CEREC same-day crowns, there's none of the mess of conventional dental impressions, wearing dental temporaries, or waiting for the final crown to come back from the lab. Once the prepared tooth is optically scanned and the restoration digitally designed, your new crown can be milled from the highest quality of dental ceramics that very same visit.

CEREC same-day crowns and restorations are fabricated from the highest quality of dental ceramics. Because dental porcelain reflects light in much the same way as dental enamel, your new crown will look flawless, completely natural, and blend seamlessly with your smile.

A CEREC same-day crown offers much more than a convenient approach to getting a dental crown. It is also a high quality, naturally beautiful, extremely durable, and long-lasting dental restoration! The fact is, with proper oral hygiene and routine dental care your new crown will serve your smile well for many years to come.

CEREC is a computerized system that designs and mills ceramic restorations in the dental office, enabling same-day crowns, inlays, and onlays. It uses an intraoral scanner to capture a high-resolution three-dimensional image of the prepared tooth and surrounding dentition. That digital impression is converted in chairside CAD software into a restoration design that can be manufactured immediately.

The design file is sent to an on-site milling unit that carves the restoration from a solid ceramic block with tight tolerances. After the restoration is stained, glazed or polished as needed, the clinician tries it in and makes final adjustments for fit and occlusion. The restoration is then adhesively bonded to the tooth, often eliminating the need for a temporary and a return visit.

One of the primary advantages of CEREC is convenience: many restorations can be completed in a single appointment, which reduces the number of office visits and removes the need for a temporary crown. The digital workflow also replaces traditional putty impressions with a comfortable, wand-like scan for most patients. That streamlined process tends to save chair time and minimizes disruptions for patients with busy schedules.

CEREC also offers clinical control and predictability because the treating dentist oversees every step from design to final placement. Digital design tools make it easier to address occlusion, contact points, and surface anatomy before the restoration is produced. Immediate adjustments can be made during the visit, which helps ensure a precise fit and patient comfort before bonding.

CEREC restorations are milled from high-quality dental ceramics that combine strength with esthetic properties such as translucency and color depth. The ceramic blocks come in a range of shades and translucencies so clinicians can match neighboring teeth and achieve a lifelike appearance. After milling, restorations can be characterized, stained, glazed, and polished to enhance natural contours and surface texture.

Because ceramics mimic the light-reflecting qualities of natural enamel, well-designed CEREC restorations blend seamlessly with adjacent teeth in many situations. The monolithic ceramic approach reduces visible layering lines, while surface characterization helps simulate enamel variations. Clinicians select materials and finishing techniques based on the tooth's location, functional demands, and esthetic goals.

When designed, fabricated, and bonded correctly, CEREC restorations can provide long-lasting service comparable to many laboratory-fabricated alternatives. Longevity depends on several factors, including oral hygiene, the location of the restoration, the amount of remaining tooth structure, and parafunctional habits such as grinding. Regular dental exams and professional cleanings help identify wear or margin issues early and support a longer service life.

Proper bonding technique and occlusal management are critical to durability, and clinicians tailor each restoration to the patient’s bite and functional needs. In cases where patients have heavy occlusal forces or bruxism, adjunctive measures such as a nightguard may be recommended to protect the restoration. If a restoration does fail, digital records and scans simplify replacement planning or repairs.

CEREC is a versatile option but it is not ideal for every clinical situation, and case selection is important to achieve optimal outcomes. Large posterior restorations under heavy occlusal load, extremely complex esthetic veneers, or long-span bridges may sometimes be better served by specialized lab-processed materials or techniques. The treating dentist evaluates tooth structure, occlusion, esthetic demands, and restorative goals to determine whether a chairside restoration is appropriate.

Some situations, such as single-unit crowns, onlays, and many anterior or premolar restorations, are excellent candidates for CEREC. For implant restorations, veneers, or multi-unit prosthetics, CEREC can often be part of the workflow but may require additional components or collaboration with a dental lab. Clinical judgment and diagnostic planning guide the final recommendation for each patient.

A typical CEREC appointment begins with local anesthesia and tooth preparation to remove decay or old restorative material and shape the tooth for the new restoration. The clinician then captures a digital impression with an intraoral scanner and designs the restoration with chairside CAD software while you remain in the operatory. The design is sent to an in-office milling unit, and the restoration is milled, finished, and tried in the same visit.

After minor adjustments for fit and occlusion, the restoration is characterized and polished or glazed as needed before final adhesive bonding to the prepared tooth. The clinician confirms bite and comfort and provides postoperative instructions for care and any short-term sensitivity to expect. Appointment length varies with complexity but many patients complete the entire process in a single, well-paced visit.

Traditional crown workflows typically require physical impressions, a temporary restoration, and laboratory fabrication, which means multiple visits and a waiting period while the lab completes the restoration. CEREC consolidates design and fabrication into a single visit using digital impressions and in-office milling, which reduces the number of appointments and the need for temporaries in many cases. This difference can be meaningful for patients who prefer fewer visits and faster treatment completion.

That said, laboratory-fabricated crowns still play an important role for certain highly customized esthetic results or complex material requirements that benefit from hand-layering or specialized lab techniques. Clinicians weigh the advantages of immediate in-office production against the specific material properties and esthetic demands of each case. The best choice depends on clinical priorities and the desired balance of efficiency, esthetics, and material properties.

Caring for a CEREC restoration follows the same fundamental principles as caring for natural teeth: maintain thorough daily oral hygiene with brushing and flossing and attend regular professional cleanings and examinations. Avoid biting directly into very hard objects or using teeth to open packages, as sudden forces can compromise any restoration. If you have a history of grinding or clenching, your dentist may recommend a nightguard to protect the restoration and surrounding dentition.

If you notice persistent sensitivity, a change in bite, or a visible defect, contact your dental team so the issue can be evaluated promptly. Routine checkups allow clinicians to monitor margin integrity and occlusion and to perform maintenance such as polishing or minor adjustments when needed. Early intervention helps preserve restoration function and prevent more extensive treatment later.

CEREC’s digital workflow integrates well with many restorative and interdisciplinary treatments, and it can be used to produce implant crowns, veneers, and onlays when the clinical conditions are appropriate. For implant restorations, accurate digital impressions and proper implant components are required to achieve a precise fit and correct interface with the implant platform. Veneers and cosmetic restorations can be produced with CEREC in many cases, though some highly layered esthetic cases may still benefit from specialized lab techniques.

Digital scans used with CEREC also support orthodontic planning and communication between specialists by providing accurate baseline records and a clear visual reference for how restorative work will interact with tooth movement. This integrated approach streamlines collaboration when coordinating smile makeovers, implant placement, or combined orthodontic-restorative treatment. The treatment team selects the appropriate tools and sequencing to achieve the best functional and esthetic result.

The best way to determine whether CEREC is an appropriate option is a clinical consultation that includes an examination, dental imaging as needed, and a discussion of your functional and esthetic goals. During this visit the dentist will assess the tooth structure, occlusion, and surrounding tissues and explain how a same-day restoration would fit into your overall treatment plan. The team will also review any alternative approaches and the rationale for recommending a chairside or laboratory workflow.

At our Waller, TX office, clinicians combine digital tools with clinical judgment to recommend the most predictable restorative solution for each patient. If you are interested in exploring same-day ceramic restorations, the practice can schedule a consultation to review options and answer questions specific to your dental health and priorities.