Upgrading To A New CerecAC In-house Milling System

By Gregory R. Bowen, DDS

Recently, I made the trip to Huntsville Alabama to purchase another milling machine for the Cerec AC which many of you know can make a crown in a single visit, without having to have messy impressions, having a temporary that falls off on the weekend, or having to come in for a second appointment and a second shot.

CEREC AC In-office milling system
for same day crowns and veneers

I met the owner of a dental lab in Huntsville who was downsizing his lab and decided he didn’t need one of his mills. Having used the Cerec milling equipment for several years, I was interested in purchasing the latest models to compliment other state-of-the-art technologies in my San Antonio dental office. After calling him, I told him I was interested in buying the machine now and that I would drive the thousand miles to Huntsville, and if he could demonstrate the use and verify the self diagnostic program, I would take it home with me. He sold me a machine with less than 210 procedures milled. Sort of like getting a ’57 Tbird with only 5000 miles
on it. Although, in 1957, Cerec technology wasn’t even in Science Fiction movies.

This new Cerec AC mill not only completes a crown in one third the time of my older model, it also can now machine abutments for implants and can machine complete bridges. There is now almost no crown and bridge procedure that needs to be performed by a commercial lab. Virtually everything can now be completed in my dental offices while you wait.

When an implant is placed, the surgeon, places the titanium implant into the jawbone. The top of the implant is at the level of the bone below the gum. The abutment screws into the implant and the crown goes over the abutment. In this manner the missing tooth or several missing teeth can be replaced, and in many cases as if they had never been lost.

A bridge is simply a crown on either side of a missing tooth or several teeth, with a false tooth joined between. For the first time for us dentists with Cerec Machines we have the ability to make these bridges. Sometimes, without a temporary or second visit.

It took almost 25 hours of studying the new software, working with training models and conversing with the excellent doctors on Cerecdoctors.com before I felt confident enough to use the software with my patients. It is truly an amazing technology and fun!

The following pictures highlight the implant crown over custom abutment and the bridge procedures with screen shots of the design software.

 

The following video shows the milling system in operation.

Gregory R. Bowen, DDS is a San Antonio dentist who uses state-of-the-art technologies to provide improved treatments to his patients. He is known for his "no cut and sew" non-surgical periodontal gum treatments, as well as same day crowns and same day veneers.

Root Canals Cause Fear for Most People, But Are Usually Misunderstood; Get the Facts

by Andrea L. Algar

"Root Canal" is a term that most people are terrified of, but it is a very misunderstood term. Most people use to describe a dental procedure, but many do not know that it is actually a part of the tooth. The actual term of the dental treatment procedure is called "root canal therapy" or "endodontic treatment".

So what is the procedure and why do you need it? Quite simply, root canal therapy is a dental treatment method designed to help save your tooth. When your root canal becomes infected, it is often necessary to perform root canal therapy or endodontic treatment to avoid further damage to the root canal. If the root canal becomes severely damaged, you may need to have the tooth extracted.

The term "root canal" does not usually spark quite the same fear that it once did decades ago. Thanks to modern dental equipment and techniques, patients are far more comfortable with procedures like root canals. However, for those who still cringe at the words, consider some of the myths about root canal:

              MYTH                                    FACT
Root canal therapy is painful         In fact, root canal treatment alleviates pain
Root canals causes tooth loss      Without treatment you can experience tooth loss.
                                                       Treatment is designed to help save your teeth
Tooth extraction is better               Saving your natural teeth is always the best option
They can cause infection              Root canal treatment eliminates infection
Root canal "kills" the tooth             Root canal treatment disinfects the tooth
It cause nerve damage                  Treatment is designed to eliminate nerve pain
Treatments take hours                   Most root canal treatments are done in 1-2 hours
Many don't work                              Root canal treatments have success rates of 85%

Know the symptoms of an infected root canal. What are the signs you should look for?

• Severe pain when chewing or when pressure is put on tooth
• Swelling and tenderness of gums near affected tooth
• Sensitivity to hot/cold, even after source has been removed (i.e. cold drink, etc)
• Continual ache or throbbing sensation
• Darkening of the tooth
• Presence of pimple on gums
• No symptoms! For some, detection is made by dentist upon exam

Have questions about root canals in San Antonio, Texas? Contact Dr. Gregory Bowen's office.