CEREC 3D
A new revolutionary computerised system called CEREC (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetical Ceramics) 3D has become available to orthodontists. Before the invention of this machinery, producing crowns, veneers or fillings in a laboratory and fitting them afterwards would take up to two weeks. CEREC 3D enables dentists to perform tooth restoration much more effectively, quickly and accurately. Using CEREC 3D, dentists are able to examine the condition of the patient's oral cavity, identify the problems and design the needed replacement right away. Firstly, the system will take a digital 3D image of the damaged tooth and the doctor will model the needed crown or filling. When the dentist is satisfied with the model, it will be passed on to complex mechanical unit which will produce the designed item from high quality ceramic material, which can be selected by the dentist to closely resemble the colour of the patient's teeth.
CEREC 3D has enabled dentist to complete all these complex procedures in one single visit. Moreover, this system gives the specialist much more control over the desired result than leaving the work to technicians in the laboratory who may not be as familiar with the case and the patient's teeth as the dentist. In addition, the patient has to spend a much shorter time visiting the dentist, be able to enjoy the results after one appointment and avoid unwanted numbing injections. Moreover, there is no need to use unreliable and easily broken temporary crowns since they will not be needed using the new system.
Naturally, most people would expect this system to make the price of the treatment shoot up. Surprisingly, however, the difference is smaller than predicted, since the price of the treatment is lowered by taking less time to complete it, not having to hire dental laboratories and the accuracy of the CEREC 3D unit. The costs of crowns produced using CEREC 3D varies between £380 and £700 per tooth. The patient should also take time to find out if the chosen clinic offers any flexible payment opportunities, which makes the treatment more accessible to patients who do not have high income.
