CEREC (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics) is built around one clear idea: deliver high-quality ceramic restorations in a single visit. Instead of multiple appointments, temporary crowns, and the uncertainty that can come with waiting for a lab-made piece, chairside CAD/CAM technology lets clinicians complete the workflow during one comfortable appointment.
Beyond convenience, single-visit restorations often reduce the number of adjustments and follow-ups because the design and milling happen while you’re in the chair. Digital scans capture precise details of the prepared tooth and adjacent teeth, helping the final restoration fit and function predictably from the start.
The process is also patient-friendly. Scanning replaces messy impression materials, and the need for temporary restorations is eliminated. For many patients, that combination of accuracy and efficiency translates into a more relaxed, reassuring experience at the dentist’s office.
With CEREC, a single appointment can include tooth preparation, digital scanning, custom design, milling, and final placement. After the tooth is prepared, an intraoral scanner produces a detailed three-dimensional model that the dentist uses to sculpt a restoration digitally. This design phase allows precise control over anatomy, contacts, and occlusion before anything is milled.
Once the design is finalized, a compact milling unit fabricates the restoration from a solid block of ceramic. Because ceramics used with CEREC are chosen for strength and esthetics, the finished crown or onlay can be stained, glazed, and polished to blend naturally with surrounding teeth.
Patients frequently appreciate the predictability of a single appointment — fewer visits, less time off work, and no provisional crown to worry about. Clinicians benefit from real-time oversight of the entire restoration process, allowing on-the-spot refinements and immediate quality control.
CEREC integrates three main components: a high-resolution intraoral scanner, intuitive design software, and a precise milling unit. The scanner captures the prepared tooth and surrounding dentition, creating an accurate digital impression without traditional tray-based materials. That digital file becomes the basis for a custom restoration tailored to your bite and smile.
The design software provides tools to shape contours, adjust contacts, and refine occlusion, all while previewing how the finished restoration will interact with adjacent teeth. This level of control reduces guesswork and helps ensure a seamless fit before manufacturing begins.
Once the design meets clinical and aesthetic goals, the milling machine carves the restoration from a ceramic block chosen for strength and translucency. After milling, the restoration is finished and polished chairside, then adhesively bonded to the tooth using established bonding protocols for a secure, long-lasting result.
Because the entire process is digital, data can be archived for future reference. That record can be useful for monitoring changes over time or re-creating restorations if necessary, providing a reliable continuum of care.
Modern dental ceramics combine strength with lifelike optical properties that mimic natural enamel. Properly designed and bonded ceramic restorations resist wear, maintain color stability, and provide a polished surface that is comfortable against the tongue and opposing teeth.
Longevity depends on several factors including material selection, occlusal design, oral hygiene, and routine follow-up care. When restorations are designed with correct contacts and occlusion, and bonded using appropriate protocols, they can offer many years of predictable performance.
Cosmetic outcomes are also an important part of the equation. With careful shade matching and finishing, ceramic crowns and onlays produced chairside can blend seamlessly with the rest of the dentition, restoring both function and confidence in form.
Choosing CEREC is a clinical decision that starts with a comprehensive exam and discussion about goals. For many restorative needs — single crowns, inlays, onlays, and smaller veneered repairs — chairside ceramic solutions offer a predictable and efficient path. The clinician will review bite dynamics, existing restorations, and esthetic considerations to determine whether a same-day approach is appropriate.
At our office, digital records from the scan become part of the treatment plan. This allows us to evaluate alternatives, simulate outcomes, and document the case with objective data. If a case requires additional lab-based steps or materials not suited to chairside milling, those options remain available; the goal is always a durable, well-fitting restoration tailored to the individual.
Patient comfort and communication are central to the process. Scans are explained and reviewed with the patient, and design choices such as occlusal form and shade are made collaboratively. This transparency helps set clear expectations and supports a smoother clinical experience from preparation to final insertion.
Clinicians trained in CAD/CAM workflows can often reduce chair time and limit the physical and emotional inconvenience associated with multi-visit restorative protocols. That efficiency preserves clinical quality while respecting patients’ schedules and comfort.
In summary, CEREC harnesses digital imaging, careful design, and precise milling to deliver high-quality ceramic restorations in a single appointment. The approach emphasizes accuracy, esthetics, and a patient-centered experience that eliminates many of the traditional steps associated with crowns and prosthetic repairs. If you’d like to learn whether a same-day ceramic restoration is the right choice for your smile, contact Sunset Dental for more information.
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 chairside CAD/CAM system that enables the design and fabrication of ceramic restorations, such as crowns, inlays, and onlays, in a single visit. Instead of taking traditional physical impressions, the process uses a digital intraoral scanner to capture detailed three-dimensional images of the prepared tooth and surrounding dentition. Computer software then generates a restoration design that can be reviewed and adjusted by the dentist before fabrication.
Once the design is approved, the restoration is milled from a high-strength ceramic block at the chairside and finished for immediate placement. This contrasts with traditional workflows that send impressions to an offsite dental laboratory and often require a temporary restoration and multiple visits. The digital workflow aims to improve precision, reduce turnaround time, and streamline the patient experience.
One of the primary benefits of a CEREC restoration is convenience: patients typically receive a permanent, custom ceramic restoration in a single appointment rather than returning for multiple visits. The digital scan and chairside milling process eliminate the need for a temporary crown and reduce the time between preparation and final placement. Ceramic materials used with CEREC are durable and color-matched to adjacent teeth for a natural appearance.
Clinically, the precise digital design can improve the fit and occlusion of the restoration, and same-day placement reduces the risk of complications associated with temporaries. The streamlined workflow also minimizes the number of anesthetic events and appointments for patients with busy schedules. For many patients, these factors translate to a more efficient and comfortable treatment experience.
The CEREC process begins with a digital scan of the prepared tooth using an intraoral scanner that captures accurate 3D images. Those images are uploaded to design software where the dentist shapes and refines the restoration digitally to ensure proper margins, contact points, and occlusion. The finalized design is then sent to a chairside milling unit that fabricates the restoration from a ceramic block with precise, computer-controlled milling.
After milling, the restoration is adjusted, stained or glazed if needed, and polished to achieve the desired contour and surface finish. The dentist performs a clinical try-in to verify fit and aesthetics before permanently bonding the restoration to the tooth. The entire digital workflow is optimized to deliver a well-fitting ceramic restoration while the patient waits in the operatory.
Patients who need a single-tooth restoration because of decay, a fractured tooth, or a large existing filling are often good candidates for CEREC restorations. CEREC is well suited for posterior and anterior teeth where a durable ceramic solution and accurate fit are desired. Many patients benefit from the single-visit approach when they prefer fewer appointments or want to avoid a temporary crown.
That said, not every situation is appropriate for a same-day restoration; cases with extensive structural loss, complicated occlusal relationships, or certain implant prosthetics may require additional planning or laboratory support. A comprehensive clinical examination, diagnostic imaging, and consultation with the dentist determine whether CEREC is the best option for an individual treatment plan.
Before your appointment, provide a complete medical and dental history and let the team know about any medications or health conditions that could affect treatment. If you are a new patient, bring previous dental records or radiographs when available; these materials can help the dentist evaluate overall oral health and plan the restoration. It is helpful to arrive with clean teeth and to discuss any cosmetic goals or functional concerns during the pre-procedure consultation.
At Sunset Dental the team will review the steps of the procedure, answer questions, and confirm any sedation or comfort measures you may prefer for the appointment. On the day of treatment you should plan for a block of time to allow for scanning, milling, and final placement, and you may want to arrange transportation if you will receive sedation. Clear communication with the clinical team helps ensure a smooth and efficient visit.
During the visit the dentist will numb the area as needed, remove any decay or old restorative material, and prepare the tooth for the restoration. A digital scan of the prepared tooth and adjacent teeth is taken and used to design the restoration in the CAD software. While the restoration is milled and finished at the chairside, the clinical team monitors fit and shade selection to ensure a natural result.
After the restoration is tried in and adjusted for proper fit and bite, it is bonded permanently to the tooth following the manufacturer’s bonding protocol. Patients may experience mild sensitivity or soreness around the treated tooth for a few days; this typically resolves with routine care and over-the-counter analgesics if needed. The dentist will provide post-operative instructions and schedule a follow-up visit to confirm comfort and function.
CEREC ceramic restorations are made from high-strength materials designed to withstand normal chewing forces and can provide long-term service when maintained properly. Like all ceramic restorations, their longevity depends on factors such as oral hygiene, occlusal load, and parafunctional habits like grinding. Proper bonding and occlusal adjustment at placement also play an important role in durability.
To care for a CEREC restoration, maintain daily brushing and flossing and attend regular dental checkups so the team can inspect margins and contacts. If you grind or clench your teeth, a night guard may be recommended to protect restorations from excessive wear. Avoid using teeth as tools and report any persistent sensitivity, roughness, or changes in bite to your dentist promptly.
CEREC restorations rely on precise digital scans and computer-guided milling, which often produce excellent marginal fit and occlusal accuracy in a single appointment. A well-executed digital workflow can match the fit and functional performance of traditional lab-made crowns for many single-tooth indications. Advances in ceramic materials and finishing techniques have significantly improved the aesthetic qualities of chairside-milled restorations.
However, lab-fabricated crowns may still be preferred for highly complex cosmetic cases or multi-unit restorations where specialized layering, characterizations, or materials are required. In such situations the dentist may recommend laboratory collaboration to achieve specific aesthetic goals or structural requirements. The final choice is based on clinical needs, aesthetic objectives, and the treatment plan developed during the consultation.
CEREC technology can be integrated into implant workflows for many single implant crowns, using digital impressions and custom abutment designs when clinically appropriate. For single-tooth implant restorations, digital design and chairside milling may streamline the restorative process and produce a well-fitting implant crown. The dentist will evaluate implant position, soft-tissue contours, and restorative space to determine whether a chairside fabrication is suitable.
For complex restorative cases, such as multi-unit bridges, full-arch prostheses, or highly customized implant-supported frameworks, collaboration with a dental laboratory or use of specialized fabrication techniques may be necessary. Treatment planning that combines digital technology with laboratory expertise provides flexible options to meet more advanced prosthetic needs. A comprehensive assessment identifies the best combination of techniques to achieve a predictable outcome.
To schedule a consultation call the office at the new patient number, (541) 210-8863, or the existing patient line, (541) 766-8000, and the staff will assist with appointment availability and pre-visit instructions. The practice is located at 5208 SW Philomath Blvd, Corvallis, OR 97333, and offers weekday hours that accommodate routine and restorative care. During the consultation the dentist reviews diagnostic images, discusses treatment options, and outlines the recommended workflow for a CEREC restoration.
Bring any recent dental records or radiographs to the appointment when available so the team can evaluate prior treatment and overall oral health. The consultation includes a discussion of clinical suitability, material choices, and any comfort options you may request for the procedure. After the evaluation, the dentist and team will create a personalized plan that aligns with your oral health goals and schedule the appropriate treatment appointments.
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Contacting Sunset Dental is easy! Our friendly staff is available to assist you with scheduling appointments, answering inquiries about treatment options, and addressing any concerns you may have. Whether you prefer to give us a call, send us an email, or fill out our convenient online contact form, we're here to help. Don't wait to take the first step towards achieving the smile of your dreams – reach out to us today and discover the difference personalized dental care can make.
