Same Day Crowns

When a tooth has extensive damage or decay, a crown is necessary to restore the tooth’s long term function. Dental crowns look and feel like natural teeth, and are made from a variety of materials, such as high-grade porcelain, ceramic, or gold.

The crown fitting process traditionally consisted of two separate visits, requiring the patient to wear a temporary crown for 2-3 weeks, until the final crown was made and returned by a dental lab. Our practice offers CEREC technology, which allows us to complete the crown process in a single visit! This exciting technology not only saves the patient valuable time, but also eliminates the need for messy impressions and temporary crowns in most situations.

CEREC is an acronym for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics. While the name may be difficult to understand, the benefits are tremendous. CEREC machines use 3D scans to produce ceramic inlays, onlays, and crowns that match the exact shape and size of our patients’ natural teeth. Best of all, the CEREC machine allows us to perform same-day restorations with crowns and bridges!

The CEREC machine relies on 3D imaging software to create a detailed representation of your teeth. To get this information, your teeth are scanned, which processes the information to display a full 3D model of your mouth. Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software then refines that model to allow us to create a custom designed crown. Once completed, the CEREC milling unit will sculpt the designed restoration out of a ceramic block. The ceramic is chosen to match your natural tooth color almost exactly. At our office, the CEREC machine can craft the restoration itself within 20-30 minutes. This is all done within a single appointment! No return trip or temporary crown necessary!