Have questions about the . . .

Crown Procedure

Everything to know about your upcoming visit.

Frequently Asked Questions

When I walk in the office what do I do?

You will check-in with our kiosk so that we know you are in the office, and we will take you back shortly. If you need to fill out any remaining medical history or registration forms you will be asked to do so before you are seen.

What do I receive on the day of my crown?

We will take an x-ray, you will have a limited exam specific to that tooth, and the doctor will complete the crown from start to finish (no temporary crown phase required). All within 2 hours.

What if I am getting multiple crowns done in the same day? How long is the appointment?

The time required does not double per crown. We will let you know depending on a case by case basis how long your treatment will take. We love delivering same-day beautiful smiles!

What’s included in the “lifetime warranty”?

Each crown is guaranteed against breakage for the rest of your life. Car accident busts one in half? You’re covered. Crunching on peanut brittle cracks a corner off? You’re covered. Everything we have control over, we cover. What we DON’T cover: tooth decay, periodontal disease, root canals, abscesses, marginal leakage, etc. as those factors are out of our control (we can’t floss and brush for you 😊). We also cover re-cementing our crowns a full 5 years after placement.

Single-Visit Crown Restorations

What is a Crown?

A crown (or cap) is a covering that encases the entire tooth surface restoring it to its original shape and size. A crown protects and strengthens tooth structure that cannot be restored with fillings or other types of restorations.

Although there are several types of crowns, zirconia (tooth colored crowns) are the most common in our office, and the best material in the dental market you can receive. They are highly durable and will last 15-20 years, and you can chew on them as you would your natural tooth without fear it will break. It will be in fact stronger than your natural tooth! Zirconia crowns are made to match the shape, size, and color or your teeth giving you a natural, long-lasting beautiful smile.

Reasons for crowns:

  • Broken or fractured teeth
  • Cosmetic enhancement
  • Decayed teeth
  • Fractured fillings
  • Large fillings
  • Tooth has a root canal

What does getting a crown involve?
Is it really same day?

A crown is done from start to finish on the same day in our office, and only requires 2 hours of your time!

While the tooth is numb, the dentist will prepare the tooth by removing any decay and shaping the surface to properly fit the crown. Once these details are accomplished, your final crown will be milled and prepared in house, using our advanced dental imaging software, PrimeMill unit, and Cerec Speedfire system. You will have about 30 minutes of free time while this is happening.

Then your natural tooth will be cleaned, and your new crown will be carefully cemented to ensure the spacing and bite are accurate.

You will be given care instructions and encouraged to have regular dental visits to check your new crown.

Same-day Crowns

State-of-the-art technology

Chairside Economical Restorations of Esthetic Ceramic (CEREC®) has revolutionized dental procedures. Traditionally, if crowns, bridges, or dental veneers were required to restore damaged teeth, multiple procedures and a great deal of waiting time in-between would be inevitable. CEREC® creates these zirconia restorations within minutes in the dental office. This means that most treatments can be completed in just a single visit.

CEREC® is comprised of several computer-assisted design (CAD) tools and a milling machine that creates custom zirconia restorative devices. CEREC® can benefit almost anyone needing a zirconia restoration. This is of great benefit to nervous patients.

How can CEREC® benefit me?

CEREC® can benefit almost anyone needing a crown or bridge. We use the strongest material available, Zirconia, which has proved to be more durable and stronger than the ceramic that was previously used. These zirconia restorations should last 15-20 years.

Additional advantages associated with CEREC® include:

  • No temporary restorations
  • High-quality Zirconia material
  • Minimal invasiveness
  • Less injections and discomfort
  • Fewer dental visits
  • Long lasting restorations
  • Tooth color shade matching

What is the CEREC® system comprised of?

The CEREC® System is sometimes called a CAD-CAM system. CAD-CAM means Computer Assisted Design and Computer Assisted Milling. The CEREC® system has three major components:

Acquisition device

This device is home to a high-quality camera and a medical grade computer. The function of this unit is to photograph the prepared tooth. Three-dimensional images are created of the tooth on the screen, which the dentist uses to design the perfect restoration.

Three-dimensional CAD software

This software allows the dentist to examine the tooth from every angle. It is the closest possible thing to holding the tooth in the hands and rotating it.

Milling device

This unit actually manufactures the custom restoration from the specifications entered into the computer. A zirconia block that best resembles the existing tooth color is chosen and placed into the unit. Within 5 minutes, the milling device produces the restoration the dentist designed.

What does a CEREC® restoration procedure involve?

The first step in the procedure is preparing the tooth for the restoration. The dentist will then take 3-dimensional images of your affected teeth using our PrimeScan. These images are transposed onto the computer screen, where the dentist will view the tooth from every angle and design the final restoration. When the design is complete, it will be transmitted to the milling unit.

The dentist will insert a block of ceramic, matching your tooth color, into the milling machine which will then create the full crown or bridge. Before affixing the restoration to the tooth, the dentist will perform a dry fit to ensure comfort. Once a perfect fit is established, the restoration will be polished and affixed to the tooth with dental cement.

If you have questions about CEREC® or would like to obtain more information on this innovative technology, please contact our office.

Ready to fix that tooth?

No temporaries. No hidden fees. Just a perfect smile in 2 hours.