One visit ceramic restorations made at the chairside: the CEREC machine

Area of Science:

• Restorative Dentistry
• Dental Biomaterials
• CAD/CAM Technology

Background:

• Current dental restorative materials aim to mimic natural tooth tissue properties.
• Glass ionomer cements offer adhesion and fluoride release but have poor abrasion resistance.
• Composite materials provide better abrasion resistance but have polymerization contraction issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the potential of combining different dental restorative materials to optimize clinical outcomes.
• To explore the use of chairside-produced porcelain inlays for improved dental restorations.

Main Methods:

• Review of properties of glass ionomer cements, composite materials, and porcelain.
• Introduction of the CEREC (Chair-side Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics) system for chairside porcelain inlay fabrication.
• Combination of CEREC porcelain inlays with glass ionomer and composite materials for a hybrid restoration approach.

Main Results:

• The CEREC system enables chairside production of porcelain inlays, reducing laboratory time and costs.
• Combining CEREC porcelain with glass ionomer and composite materials leverages the advantages of each material.
• This hybrid approach optimizes the properties of the final dental restoration, including aesthetics and durability.

Conclusions:

• The combination of CEREC porcelain inlays with glass ionomer and composite materials offers a promising approach for dental restorations.
• This technique optimizes the beneficial properties of individual materials, leading to superior restorations.
• The ability to complete restorations in a single appointment enhances patient convenience and treatment efficiency.