Cosmetic dental surgery can not only improve your smile but can also boost your self-confidence. The highly experienced, board-certified doctors and friendly staff provide a full range of general dentistry, cosmetic dentistry and restorative dentistry services including the following:

CEREC

CEREC (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics) is a multi-instrument system that allows dentists to create and implant custom-fit ceramic restorations in a single appointment. The system consists of an infrared digital camera, a computer with 3-D imaging software, and a milling unit with diamond blades for quick, precise and highly detailed construction of restorations.

The CEREC system can produce any permanent, single-tooth ceramic restoration, including crowns, onlays, veneers and fillings. Unlike metals and alloys, ceramic is similar to the natural tooth, so cracking is minimized because it expands and contracts at about the same rate as the tooth during temperature changes while eating. In addition, CEREC offers benefits over traditional restoration construction such as fewer injections, less drilling, less material removed from the damaged tooth, and minimal time commitment.

The process is simple. First, the Dr. Highsmith examines your tooth and determines the proper treatment. After application of anesthesia, the damaged part of the tooth is removed and an optical impression (digital photograph) is taken. The computer converts this data into a three-dimensional virtual image that allows Dr. Highsmith to design the restoration that's right for you. Dimensions of the restoration are sent to the milling machine, which shapes a ceramic block to create the restoration in 10-20 minutes. Finally, the restoration is tried for fit in your mouth, polished and bonded to your tooth.

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