Rippy Family Dentistry strives to provide the best care possible for our patients. We’re proud to be at the forefront of dental advancements, offering our patients high quality treatment that is convenient and comfortable. This why we have obtained CEREC® (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramic), the world leader in CAD/CAM dental technology. These tools are used to improve the design and creation of dental restorations and make them more convenient, quick and comfortable for our patients.
What does the mean for our patients? With CEREC® our patients can now receive crowns or inlay restorations in one appointment. Everything from the digital impressions to the computer-based construction of the restoration to the milling process can be carried out within our office.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
TOOTH PREPARATION
After the initial exam, the Dr. Rippy decides on what the appropriate treatment is for the tooth in question. Dr. Rippy then cleans the tooth and prepares it for restoration, just as he would for other restorative procedures.
TOOTH IMAGING
After preparation, Dr. Rippy needs an image of the tooth. To get an impression without using CEREC®, a dentist will usually have the patient bite down into a tray filled with “goop” and hold the tray until the substance hardens. But with CEREC®, this process is simplified and non-goopy. Dr. Rippy simply uses a camera, approximately the size of a pen to take a digital image of the tooth. The whole process takes less than 5 minutes.
THE NEW TOOTH
After the image is taken, the CEREC® machine turns the image into a virtual model of the replacement tooth. This information is then sent to a separate milling machine that creates the tooth. Within 20-30 minutes, the all-ceramic and tooth-colored replacement is finished and ready to be placed.
Rippy Family Dentistry is focusing on delivering the best treatment we can for our patients so they can have a painless and stress-free dental experience. If you have a dental emergency, be sure to call our office at 615-451-9300. We strive to provide a comfortable experience and will restore your smile in no time!