In Geneva, New York, Dr. Ralph DeFelice recently introduced the CEREC, an in-office system that makes creating crowns, onlays and veneers quick and easy.

Dr. DeFelice says that CEREC is "revolutionary new equipment" that is "comparable to laser eye surgery."

Anyone who has had a crown procedure knows that the process is long and very uncomfortable. After the tooth is drilled, a mold is made and sent away to a lab to be made. A temporary crown is placed on the tooth until the permanent one comes in, at which time the patient must return for another appointment.

CEREC eliminates the wait by utilizing digital and wireless technology. A digital photograph of the tooth instantly renders the tooth into a model that becomes the pattern for the crown. The machine that produces the permanent crown is in the office and chisels your crown from strong, tooth colored ceramic material. In under an hour, the entire process is complete.

"We've had great success with it," said DeFelice, who has had the machine for about a month. "So far we've had excellent results."

So did the cost go through the roof? Actually, the price is about the same since the mold doesn't have to be sent to the lab anymore.