Having a dental crown put on used to mean multiple appointments, temporary crowns, and weeks of waiting. With a CEREC same-day crown, that process is much simpler. Using advanced digital technology, our Grand Rapids, MI, dentists can design, create, and place your custom dental crown in just one visit.
If you’re considering same-day crowns, it’s normal to have questions about how they work, how long they last, and whether they’re the right option for your smile.
Below, we’ve answered some of the most common questions patients ask so you can feel informed and confident before your appointment.
What Are Same-Day Crowns?
Same-day crowns are custom designed, created, and placed in a single appointment. Instead of sending impressions to an outside lab and waiting weeks for a permanent crown, the entire same-day crown procedure is completed from start to finish inside our Grand Rapids, MI, dental office. This means you walk in with a damaged tooth and leave with a fully restored smile the same day.
How Do Same-Day Crowns Compare to Traditional Crowns?
Traditional dental crowns usually require two visits. During the first appointment, the tooth is prepared, impressions are taken, and a temporary crown is placed. You return a few weeks later for final dental crown placement once the lab-made crown arrives.
With a single-visit dental crown, there’s no temporary and no waiting period. Advanced imaging technology captures a 3D image of your tooth, and our in-house crown fabrication system creates your on-site. The crown is then bonded into place during the same appointment.
How Long Does the Same-Day Crown Procedure Take?
Most same-day crown procedures take about two hours from start to finish. That includes preparing the tooth, taking digital impressions, designing the crown, milling it in the office, and placing the restoration. Compared to scheduling two separate visits and wearing a temporary crown for weeks, getting a dental crown in one day saves significant time.
Are Same-Day Crowns Durable?
Yes. Same-day crowns are typically made from high-quality ceramic. These dental crowns are strong, natural-looking, and designed to handle normal biting and chewing forces. When properly cared for, single-visit crowns can last many years, just like traditional lab-made dental crowns.
Is a Same-Day Crown for a Broken Tooth a Good Option?
In many cases, yes. If you need a and have it placed soon after the damage occurs, it can help protect the remaining structure and prevent further cracking or infection.
A crown acts like a protective cap, restoring the tooth’s shape, strength, and function. Acting quickly often makes the difference between saving the tooth and needing more complex treatment later.
Is the CEREC Crown Process Comfortable?
Most patients are surprised by how smooth the experience feels. The area is numbed before any work begins. Digital scanning replaces traditional impression trays filled with putty, which many people find uncomfortable and triggering if you have a sensitive gag reflex.
Because same-day dental crown placement happens shortly after it’s created, you avoid the sensitivity and inconvenience that can come with temporary crowns.
Who’s a Good Candidate for This Type of Dental Crown?
CEREC dental crowns are ideal for patients who:
- Have a cracked or severely worn tooth
- Have a large cavity that can’t support a filling
- Need to replace an old, failing crown
- Want a faster restorative dental procedure
Our same-day crown dentists will evaluate the tooth and determine when this option is more appropriate than another form of treatment. In some situations, such as when infection is present, additional care may be needed before placing the crown.
How Is a Dental Crown Made With No Lab?
At the center of in-house crown fabrication is the use of computer-aided design software. This advanced setup allows our dentists to take impressions of your teeth using a hand-held digital scanner and have the images sent directly to a computer where the crown can be further customized and designed.
Once our dentists are satisfied with how the new same-day crown looks digitally, the finalized design will be transferred to the milling machine in our office so the restoration can be sculpted from a block of strong, tooth-colored ceramic.
After the fabrication stage is complete, the crown is inspected thoroughly by our dentists before it is permanently placed using state-of-the-art bonding techniques and materials.
Make an Appointment Today
Skip the wait when your tooth needs care most and ask our same-day crown dentists in Grand Rapids, MI, about this type of restorative dental treatment. Call Precision Family Dental today at (616) 949-1570 or contact us online to request an appointment.