What Is CEREC® and What Are the Benefits?

At PQ Family Dentistry, we use advanced dental technology to ensure our patients receive quality care and restorations quickly and conveniently. Dr. Tim Belnap and Dr. W. Brandon Jergensen can provide patients with same-day crowns, bridges, and veneers using the CEREC® system at our Ramona and Rancho Peñasquitos, CA, offices. You can receive complete restorative treatment in only one visit, without the need for temporary restorations and extra procedures.

What Is CEREC®?

CEREC® is an acronym for Chairside Economical Restorations of Esthetic Ceramic. CEREC® is a CAD/CAM (computer aided design and computer aided manufacturing) system that is used to make same-day restorations in our dental office. Our dentists can use CEREC® to digitally plan, design, and fabricate restorations in a single dental appointment. At PQ Family Dentistry we use CEREC® to manufacture crowns, bridges, and veneers. Drs. Belnap and Jergensen have over 15 years of experience with this technology and continue to take educational courses to provide you with the latest dental solutions.

Individualized Procedure

Whether you need a crown, a bridge, or want porcelain veneers, we can offer same-day service to you through the advantages of our CEREC® system. If you are receiving a crown or a bridge, your doctor will prepare your teeth by removing decayed and weakened tissue. If you are receiving dental veneers, we will remove a very small amount of enamel from the front of your teeth to allow your veneers to lay flat.

The next step in your restoration is for your doctor to take highly accurate digital scans of your teeth. With CEREC® technology, we can create a 3-D model of your smile using these pictures. After analyzing the images and making adjustments, Dr. Belnap or Dr. Jergensen will design your restoration and send the design to our in-office milling machine. This machine will carve your custom restoration from a solid piece of porcelain that matches your teeth. Once the restoration is finished, your doctor will check the restoration to ensure a proper fit, and will secure it to your prepared tooth. You can return to work or go home with a completely restored, natural-looking smile.

It takes less than an hour to carve each restoration, allowing you to fit treatment easily into your schedule.

Unique Benefits

Our patients tell us that the biggest benefit of the CEREC® system is that they do not have to return to the office for a second visit to get their permanent restorations. It takes less than an hour to carve each restoration, allowing you to fit treatment easily into your schedule. In addition, because the restoration is completed in a single visit, there is no need for our patients to wear temporary restorations while waiting for permanent bridges, crowns, or veneers to be created. Temporary restorations can be uncomfortable, may make it difficult to eat, and can even come off unexpectedly.

CEREC® restorations are made from ceramic that is carefully chosen to match the color of your surrounding teeth to provide you with a lifelike restoration. CEREC® restorations are biocompatible and metal-free, and the materials used are very high quality and look great. We can even provide restorations for dental implants to provide quick solutions for tooth loss that are extremely durable and stable.

Receive Convenient Treatment

We are committed to providing our patients with quality dental care in a timely manner. If you are interested in learning more about same-day veneers, crowns, and bridges available through CEREC® technology, contact our practice today for an appointment with one of our doctors.