If you've ever needed a dental crown, you may have heard that getting one can take multiple appointments. Traditionally, that's often the case: your tooth is prepared, an impression is taken, a temporary crown is placed, and you return later to have your permanent crown cemented.
But what if you could get your crown in just one visit?
That's the idea behind same-day crowns. Using advanced digital dentistry and in-office technology, some dental practices can design, create, and place a custom crown during a single appointment. At Brentwood Dental Excellence, same-day crowns can make restoring a damaged tooth more convenient while helping you get back to your normal routine sooner.
What Is a Same-Day Crown?
A dental crown is a tooth-shaped restoration that fits over a damaged or weakened tooth. Crowns can be used to protect a tooth after a large filling or root canal, restore a broken or worn tooth, or improve the appearance and function of a tooth that has been significantly damaged.
A same-day crown works in much the same way as a traditional crown. The biggest difference is how the crown is designed and made.
Instead of sending impressions to an outside dental laboratory and waiting for the restoration to be made, same-day crown technology allows the dental team to digitally design the crown and fabricate it in the office.
That means many patients can have the entire process completed in one visit.
How Does the Same-Day Crown Process Work?
So, what actually happens during a same-day crown appointment? While the exact process can vary from practice to practice, it generally involves several steps.
1. Your Tooth Is Examined
First, your dentist will examine the tooth and determine whether a crown is the right treatment. Depending on your situation, dental X-rays or other imaging may be used to evaluate the tooth and surrounding structures.
If a crown is appropriate, your dentist will explain the treatment and what you can expect during your appointment.
2. The Tooth Is Prepared
Before the crown can be placed, the damaged portion of the tooth needs to be treated and the tooth shaped to accommodate the restoration.
Your dentist will remove any decay or damaged tooth structure and carefully prepare the tooth so the crown can fit properly.
Local anesthesia is typically used to keep you comfortable during this part of the procedure.
3. A Digital Scan Is Taken
Traditional crowns often require physical impressions using impression material. Same-day crown technology can instead use a digital scanner to create a detailed 3D image of your prepared tooth.
The digital scan captures the shape of your tooth and the surrounding teeth, giving your dental team the information needed to design your custom crown.
For many patients, skipping traditional impression material can make this part of the appointment quicker and more comfortable.
4. Your Crown Is Digitally Designed
Once the digital images are captured, specialized software is used to design your crown.
Your dentist can consider the shape, size, and position of your tooth as well as how your upper and lower teeth come together when you bite. The goal is to create a restoration that fits naturally with the rest of your smile.
5. Your Crown Is Made in the Office
Here's where the "same-day" part really comes in.
Once the design is complete, the crown can be fabricated using specialized in-office milling technology. Rather than waiting for an outside laboratory to create the restoration, the crown is produced right there in the dental office.
Depending on the system and the specific restoration, additional finishing or customization may be performed before the crown is ready to place.
6. Your Crown Is Placed
Once your dentist confirms that the crown fits properly and looks right, it is bonded or cemented into place.
Your dentist will check your bite and make any necessary adjustments so the restoration feels comfortable when you chew.
Then you're done!
How Are Same-Day Crowns Different From Traditional Crowns?
The biggest difference isn't necessarily the crown itself; it's the process used to create it.
With a traditional crown, your dentist prepares the tooth and takes an impression. A temporary crown is typically placed while an outside dental laboratory creates your permanent restoration. You'll then return for another appointment to have the permanent crown fitted and placed.
With a same-day crown, much of that process takes place in the dental office using digital scanning, computer-aided design, and in-office fabrication.
Same-Day Crowns May Mean:
- Fewer appointments
- No need for a traditional physical impression in many cases
- Less time wearing a temporary crown
- A digital design process
- A permanent restoration placed during one visit
Of course, not every tooth or situation is suitable for a same-day crown. Your dentist can determine whether this type of restoration is appropriate for you.
What Are the Benefits of Same-Day Crowns?
For patients who are good candidates, same-day crowns can offer some appealing advantages.
Convenience
One of the biggest benefits is simply saving time. Instead of scheduling multiple appointments weeks apart, the treatment may be completed in one visit.
Fewer Temporary-Crown Hassles
Traditional crown treatment generally involves wearing a temporary crown while your permanent restoration is being made. A same-day crown can reduce or eliminate that temporary phase.
Digital Precision
Digital scanning and computer-assisted design can provide your dental team with detailed information for creating your restoration.
Get Back to Your Routine
Once your crown has been placed and your dentist gives you instructions for caring for it, you can get back to your normal routine without having to schedule another appointment for the final crown.
Are Same-Day Crowns Right for Everyone?
Same-day crowns can be a great option for many patients, but they're not automatically the best choice in every situation.
The location of the tooth, how much tooth structure remains, your bite, the condition of your surrounding teeth and gums, and the type of restoration needed can all play a role in determining whether a same-day crown is appropriate.
Your dentist will evaluate your individual situation and help you decide which treatment makes the most sense.
Is a Same-Day Crown Still a Real Crown?
Yes! "Same-day" refers to how the crown is created and delivered, not a different type of tooth restoration.
A same-day crown is still a custom dental crown designed to restore and protect a tooth. The primary difference is that modern digital technology allows the design and fabrication process to happen in the dental office during your appointment.
Restore Your Smile in Less Time
Needing a crown doesn't necessarily have to mean multiple appointments and weeks of waiting. For appropriate candidates, same-day crown technology can streamline the process by allowing your dentist to digitally scan, design, create, and place your restoration during a single visit.
If you have a damaged, weakened, or heavily restored tooth, the team at Brentwood Dental Excellence can evaluate your smile and help you understand your options. If a same-day crown is right for you, you may be able to restore your tooth's appearance and function while saving valuable time.
Contact Brentwood Dental Excellence to schedule an appointment and find out whether a same-day crown could be right for you.
