Same Day Crowns - What Are They?

A dental crown is a sturdy covering that we custom-create to fit over your damaged tooth starting at the gum line. It is one of the most common restorative treatments recommended for both functional and cosmetic purposes.

In the past, receiving a crown meant multiple office visits and waiting for weeks for your restoration to be created in a laboratory. Today, we can design and fabricate same day crowns using CEREC CAD/CAM technology in our own practice.

The Benefits of Same-Day Crowns

When a tooth is damaged or decayed, a dental crown can strengthen it and allow it to function normally again. Unlike traditional crowns that often require two or more appointments over several weeks, same day crowns Louisville KY are designed and fabricated in just one appointment.
The process works by using an intraoral camera and computer-aided design (CAD/CAM) software to create a digital impression of the prepped tooth. The information is then sent to an in-office milling machine, which carves the crown out of a block of porcelain.

This advanced system eliminates the need for messy, gross-tasting putty and cuts down on the number of visits patients need to take off work or shuffle their schedule around. Same-day crowns also cut down on pain since numbing shots are only needed once.

CEREC Technology

A crown, also known as a tooth cap, is used to strengthen a damaged or misshapen natural tooth while improving its appearance. When crafted from today’s high-tech dental porcelains, a crown is virtually indistinguishable from your natural teeth.

The CEREC system (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics) combines a camera, computer and milling instrument into one machine, enabling your dentist to design and fabricate custom fillings, crowns and veneers in a single visit. This technology eliminates the need for a temporary crown and allows you to get back to normal quicker.

The first step of the procedure involves administering anesthetic and preparing your tooth for restoration by removing decayed or weakened tooth tissue. Then your dentist takes a series of digital pictures of the tooth, which are used to create a model of it. Then the machine uses that model to create a new ceramic tooth.

Tooth-Colored Crowns

Tooth-colored crowns completely enclose a tooth above the gum line, which makes them an excellent restoration for fixing a broken or cracked tooth and for covering severely discolored teeth. They also offer better reinforcement than a dental filling and don’t wear out with normal chewing.

Using a shade guide, your dentist can determine the best color match for your new crown, making it more natural. This can be done at your first appointment and takes just a few minutes.

Unlike traditional crowns, which take up to two weeks in a lab before they are ready for fitting, CEREC same day crowns Louisville KY can be created and fitted in just one appointment. During this appointment, your dentist in Louisville Kentucky will prepare and shape the tooth then use the CEREC in-office system to create a digital impression of your mouth, which is fed into an in-house milling machine that carves the crown out of a block of ceramic.

Aesthetically Pleasing Crowns

Aesthetic crowns are a great way to cover teeth that have been damaged by decay or physical damage. Using today’s high-tech porcelains (dental ceramics), they are virtually indistinguishable from natural teeth and can even be designed to improve upon them.

Dental crowns strengthen damaged teeth, allowing them to function normally again. They also help to prevent a damaged tooth from becoming so damaged that it needs to be extracted, which is both costly and painful.
Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns, made of lithium disilicate, are aesthetically pleasing and can be placed in a single appointment at our office with CEREC technology. They can be used to treat teeth that are cracked or chipped, broken or crooked, and even help to restore inlays and onlays. They are also a good choice for teeth that have been treated with root canal therapy.

One-Visit Crowns

Crowns are often needed to protect weak or damaged teeth, cover a dental implant, cap a broken tooth, or support a dental bridge. They’re typically made of durable porcelain that’s strong and long-lasting. Traditional crowns require a lengthy lab fabrication process, but same day crowns can be designed, milled and placed in just one appointment.

Instead of taking a physical impression, your dentist will digitally scan the area and then use computer-aided design software to create the model for your new crown. Once the crown is designed, your dentist will mill it at the office using a CEREC machine. You’ll leave the appointment with a finished crown that looks just like your natural teeth. The procedure is faster and more comfortable than traditional ones, too.