Encinitas, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/28/2015 -- While getting a crown placed usually requires at least two dental appointments, this is no longer the case for Dr. Greg McElroy's patients at Smiles By Design. With the help of CEREC® (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics), patients can now get their crowns completed in just one hassle-free visit.
Anyone who has had to get a crown without CEREC remembers the tedious procedure they went through. First, the tooth had to be numbed with Novocain and drilled down to a stub. The patient then had to have an impression made with a tray of nauseating "goop" that made it feel like all their teeth were being pulled out along with it. Finally, they received a temporary crown that looked and tasted like aluminum foil.
"Equipping my office with CEREC has greatly improved patient satisfaction," Dr. McElroy remarks, "The system uses CAD/CAM technology to produce 3D displays of the teeth, which are then transferred to a computer for the design of the crown to be drafted. The best part of this procedure? No more trays filled with impression 'goop'!"
With CEREC, a milling unit churns out the new crown exactly as it was programmed into the machine, rendering natural-looking, strong and well-fitting crowns in a matter of minutes. The entire procedure is completed in about two hours.
CEREC technology is also capable of creating veneers, inlays and onlays. "Because there is only one visit with CEREC, my patients get to save time and money," says Dr. McElroy.
Dr. McElroy shares the benefits of CEREC:
-Less costly and less time-consuming
-Fewer painful injections due to single visit
-No messy impressions
-No need for temporary restorations
-Saves as much natural tooth structure as possible
-More durable restorations - may last over 10 years
-Restores teeth to natural beauty, function and strength
-Metal-free restorations
About Dr. McElroy
Dr. McElroy graduated from Georgetown University Dental School and has completed extensive training in CEREC restorations at the Scottsdale Center for CAD/CAM Education. He has also completed studies at the prestigious Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies and studied nationwide with top clinicians such as Dr. Bill Dorfman of ABC's Extreme Makeover.
Make an appointment with Dr. McElroy by calling 760-621-8700.