How long does getting a crown take

When a tooth is severely damaged by dental decay, it may need a dental crown. These crowns are porcelain, ceramic, or metal dental caps securely placed over a severely damaged tooth. A crown can only be placed on the tooth after all the decay has been removed and the cavity has been sealed. The cap protects the tooth from further damage and restores its durability and function.

So, how long does it take to get a dental crown? The answer depends on the type of technology offered by the dentist. Traditional crown placements can take two appointments, weeks apart. However, with new dental crown restorative technology provided by Cerec,  your dental crown can now be placed in one visit.

Reasons You May Need a Crown

Dental crowns can prevent the need for a tooth extraction, which can negatively impact your ability to chew and impact your future dental health and wellness. Crowns are typically utilized when:

  • Your tooth is severely cracked
  • There is not enough of the tooth left to support a large filling
  • The tooth has undergone a root canal
  • The tooth is severely discolored, chipped, or otherwise misshapen

Types of Crown Materials

Crowns are created from porcelain, ceramic, metal, or porcelain fused to metal. Depending on where you need the crown will determine what type of material is used. If the tooth is not visible, a metal crown may prove sufficient. On the other hand, if the tooth is visible when you open your mouth or smile, tooth-colored porcelain, ceramic, or porcelain fused to a metal crown may be suggested.

Traditional Crown Placement Procedure

The traditional procedure for getting a dental crown involves two visits. Your first visit involves examining the severely damaged tooth, cleaning out the decay or performing a root canal, and taking an impression of the prepared tooth. Your impression is taken using a casting material that is placed into a dental tray. From there, the tray is inserted into your mouth for a specific amount of time in order to let the casting material harden. Once the material has hardened, the tray is removed and the cast is sent to the laboratory.

Since there is a waiting period while the lab creates your custom crown, the dentist will place a temporary crown over the tooth in order to make sure the tooth is protected and to prevent further damage. Once your crown arrives, a second appointment will be scheduled to remove the temporary crown and place the permanent crown.

CD Cerec Technology for Dental Crowns at Bonham Dental Arts in Largo, FL

Here at Bonham Dental Arts, we understand scheduling two dental appointments for your crown may not be convenient. This may result in your having the temporary crown for longer than recommended. Temporary crowns are only designed to last a few weeks to a month. If you cannot visit the dentist shortly after your new permanent crown arrives, it can lead to heavy wear, which results in further damage to your tooth.

For this reason, we offer CD Cerec technology for dental crowns in Largo, Florida. This technology allows us to perform your dental crown procedure in one visit, instead of two visits. This procedure involves taking digital images of the tooth after all the decay is removed. The Cerec technology then creates a 3D image of the tooth and recommends the best restorative procedure. If the recommendation is a crown, a small block of ceramic is placed into the milling machine. The milling machine creates your new crown in about 20 minutes. Then, our dentist places the crown. This eliminates the need to create a temporary crown and schedule a second appointment for the permanent crown.

Want to schedule an appointment to learn more about Cerec technology and how it can improve your smile with fewer visits?
Call Us Today To Schedule Your Next Appointment At Bonham Dental Arts!

How long does getting a crown take

Nowadays, the majority of people are extremely busy balancing multiple things at once. With such a busy schedule, you were barely able to make the time for your dental checkup and now your dentist is telling you that you need a dental crown. Considering the simple fact that you don’t want to use all your time off of work at the dentist’s office, you dread having to come in for multiple restoration appointments. 

But then your dentist tells you something amazing. Their office is equipped to fabricate a dental crown while you wait. This means that you can have the entire procedure done in a single dental appointment, which will save you a great deal of much needed time. At this point though, you are probably wondering how long a same-day crown takes. 

How long does getting a crown take

On average, a same-day dental crown can be fabricated in as little as 60 to 90 minutes. While your dental crown is being fabricated, most dentists will give you the option of waiting in their office or coming back later to have the final restoration placed. There are two CAD/CAM systems that may be used: CEREC and E4D. Both systems are highly similar, however the E4D approach uses a special laser to obtain images, which eliminates the step of applying reflective powder to the teeth. 

How long does getting a crown take

In order to place a same-day crown, your tooth will first need to be prepared. Your dentist will anesthetize the tooth to keep you comfortable and may offer varying levels of dental sedation if you have dental anxiety. Then, the affected tooth is reduced in size and shaped with a dental drill so that a dental crown can be placed over the top. This is a necessary step to ensure that the crown will not affect your bite once it is in place. 

After your tooth is prepared, a digital scan will be taken of your mouth. If your dental office uses CEREC, then a reflective powder will first need to be applied to the teeth. As mentioned before, this powder does not need to be applied with an E4D system. The images of your teeth are used to create a virtual model of your tooth so that the appropriate color, contour, and biting surface can be determined. 

This information is then sent to the in-office milling machine to begin fabricating your dental crown. Milling machines will use multiple burs to cut into blocks of either porcelain, composite, or lithium disilicate in order to shape your dental crown. In about 20 minutes, the shaping process is complete and the crown is then stained and glazed for about 15-20 minutes before being fired for about 15 minutes. 

Once the dental crown has cooled, your dentist will inspect it before placing it in your mouth to check the fit. Minor adjustments may be made and then the final crown will be cemented to your tooth. Because this a permanent crown, you will not need to return for future appointments. In this way, same-day crowns save you valuable time, while providing you with a durable restoration.