Dental crowns repair and protect badly-damaged teeth by encasing them completely. Traditionally, the process of placing a crown takes two dental visits. If given a choice, people would have their tooth restorations done in a single procedure. This is what created the need for same-day dental crowns. Some dental practices now place crowns in a single day using their skilled staff, software, and machinery needed to design and fabricate the crowns. Let us see how same day dental crowns hold up against traditional crowns.

How same-day crowns work

Same-day dental crowns would not be possible without Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacture (CAD/CAM) technology. CAD/CAM allows the dentist to design and fabricate dental crowns on their premises. This eliminates weeks' worth of the waiting time needed to fabricate a crown at an off-site dental lab. The process of placing same-day crowns goes like this:

First, the dentist does a dental exam to confirm that the patient is a good candidate for a crown. Next, the dentist cleans the tooth and prepares it for the crown. Preparation involves making the enamel rough enough to provide the grip the crown will need to adhere to the tooth. The dentist may also prepare the tooth by filing it down and reducing its height to make room for the crown.

In the case of traditional crowns, the dentist would make an impression of the teeth by having the patient bite into dental putty. However, with the CAD/CAM technology behind same-day crowns, the dentist takes a 3D image of the patient's mouth. With the CAD software, the dentist uses the 3D model to design the dental crown. With the input of the patient, the dentist also chooses the color of the crown.

Much like a 3D printer, the dental mill uses the dentist's design to fabricate the crown. The dentist applies dental cement to the tooth and the newly built crown. Lastly, they fit the crown onto the prepared tooth and make any necessary adjustments.

Benefits of same-day crowns

The main reason patients love having the entire procedure done in a single sitting is that same-day crowns are time savers. Also, the patient will not need to receive a temporary crown that the dentist would remove a short while later. Temporary crowns have been known to be uncomfortable, and they come loose sometimes.

With same-day crowns, the patient avoids the unpleasant experience of biting into dental putty to make a mold of their teeth. Because they are made right at the dentist's office, same-day crowns are guaranteed to fit perfectly because all adjustments will occur before the patient leaves the dental practice.

Same day crowns consist of ceramic or porcelain. In some dental practices, they can also be made from zirconia and metal alloys (i.e., titanium). These durable materials ensure that the same day crowns last just as long as traditional dental crowns.

Which should you choose?

If there is an option of having one dental procedure instead of two, you should consider it as part of your dental restoration options. Same-day crowns are as durable as traditional crowns since they are made of the same material. Call our office to learn more or to schedule a consultation.

Request an appointment here: https://dawsondentalgroup.com or call Dawson Dental Group at (706) 608-4099 for an appointment in our Dawsonville office.

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