English

Abstract

Training students in the use of CEREC Blue light LED technology to fabricate chair side tooth colored restorations utilizing two innovative modes of fabricating the restorations Bigeneric Individual and Biogeneric Copy, enhances a student’s ability to apply this technology. At the New York University College of Dentistry students are trained in both modes to enable better decision making when designing these restorations. Many clinical situations may require that the final restoration of a tooth be an exact copy of a tooth such as when fabricating an indirect tooth colored restoration, a ceramic crown, or when duplicating adjacent teeth in the Esthetic zone. In the Biogeneric Copy mode, a digital picture of the unprepared tooth, and another digital impression of the prepared tooth is taken. The software transfers the occlusal aspects of the tooth in a preoperative condition and enhances the rest of the restoration. The final design of the restoration will be the same as the tooth prior to tooth preparation, in most cases the occlusal surface does not require adjustment. In Biogeneric Individual mode, a digital impression is required of the upper and lower quadrant, and a digital impression of the facial surfaces of teeth, in addition to a digital impression of the teeth in maximum inter-cuspation. The neighboring teeth are analyzed, and the software creates a restoration proposal from a virtual model. The faculty and student are able to modify the contact points and contour of the virtual restoration, and if necessary adjust the cervical embrasures before the milling process Conclusion: Utilizing CEREC Blue light LED technology the dental student is able to fabricate accurate chair side tooth colored restorations capable of imitating pre-existing dentitions or restoring dentitions to appropriate/optimal contours.