Proper dental care does not have to take away from your regularly scheduled life. The dental profession is evolving and so should your experience.

With new technology, dentists can diagnose and treat problems earlier with less invasive techniques, minimizing discomfort. These cutting-edge innovations in dental equipment allow patients to spend less time in the dental chair and more time enjoying the results.

Offering the latest in comfortable and convenient dentistry, our practice utilizes CEREC tooth restoration system. Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics (or CEREC) equipment offers patients a kinder, gentler and efficient way of restoring damaged or decayed teeth. Using bio-compatible, tooth-colored material, CEREC leaves your teeth looking natural and not discolored by metal fillings. This technology allows complete color-matched ceramic tooth restorations, crowns, onlays, inlays and veneers, in just a single visit.

CEREC uses Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology, incorporating a digital infrared camera, a computer, and a milling machine in one instrument.

First, a special camera takes a three-dimensional picture, or virtual impression, of the damaged tooth. This virtual impression is transferred and displayed on a color computer screen, where the dentist uses CAD technology to design the ideal restoration (crown, onlay, inlay, veneer) to repair the tooth.

That's when CAM takes over. CAM uses two high-speed diamond burs that automatically create the restoration while the patient waits. In less than 10 minutes, the milling process is complete.

Finally, the dentist cements the new restoration to the surface, or on top, of the tooth, and that's it. The whole process takes about one hour.

Silver fillings, which contain mercury metal and discolor your teeth, are things of the past. Restorations are made out of natural-looking, non-abrasive and plaque-resistant material. This advanced material is biologically compatible with tissues of your mouth. Traditionally uncomfortable and cumbersome process of taking impressions and placing temporaries have been removed from your dentist visit. The previously required second visit to place crowns, onlays or veneers has been eliminated. Modern techniques allow Dr's PJ Goyal and Christopher Payne to save and preserve a larger amount of your remaining healthy and natural tooth structure.

With over two decades of clinical research and more than 20 million restorations completed worldwide, CEREC technology-based restorations have proven to be precise, durable, long-lasting, safe and effective. The Dentists at Scottsdale Center for Dental Medicine have successfully performed over 500 CEREC procedures for our patients.

If you have questions about this exciting new technology, please don't hesitate to call Scottsdale Center for Dental Medicine at 480-948-4445.