When a tooth is severely cracked, fractured by a large failing filling, or weakened after root canal therapy, a dental crown is necessary to restore its biological strength and prevent extraction. Traditionally, receiving a dental crown was a tedious, two-to-three-week ordeal involving sticky impression putty, an ill-fitting temporary plastic cap, and multiple numbing injections across multiple appointments.
At TruCare Dentistry, Dr. Toral Ardeshna uses advanced CEREC® CAD/CAM technology (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics) to design, mill, and permanently seat a custom porcelain crown in a single visit lasting under two hours.
What Is CEREC and How Does Same-Day Crown Technology Work?
CEREC integrates computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) directly into our Roswell dental practice:
- Tooth Preparation & 3D Optical Scanning: Dr. Ardeshna gently removes damaged tooth structure and shapes the tooth. Instead of placing gooey, gag-inducing impression putty in your mouth, a handheld 3D intraoral camera captures thousands of high-definition digital photographs in seconds.
- 3D Virtual Crown Design: Sophisticated CEREC software constructs a 3D digital model of your teeth. Dr. Ardeshna designs your crown on screen with micron-level precision, customizing the anatomical grooves, contact points with adjacent teeth, and natural bite alignment.
- In-Office Robotic Milling: The digital design is transmitted wirelessly to our in-office milling chamber. Diamond-coated robotic burs mill your custom crown from a solid ceramic block chosen to precisely match your natural tooth shade. This precision milling takes just 15 to 20 minutes.
- Sintering, Characterization, & Final Placement: The milled ceramic crown is glazed and heat-treated in a specialized dental furnace to achieve maximum structural hardness and natural optical translucency. Dr. Ardeshna securely bonds the crown permanently to your tooth. You walk out with a fully restored tooth!
CEREC Same-Day Crowns vs. Traditional Multi-Week Crowns
| Feature | CEREC Same-Day Crown | Traditional Lab-Made Crown |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Appointments | 1 visit (completed in ~90 to 120 minutes) | 2 to 3 appointments separated by 2–3 weeks |
| Number of Injections | 1 single numbing visit | Multiple rounds of local anesthesia across weeks |
| Impression Method | Clean, digital 3D optical scan (no gagging) | Gooey, uncomfortable alginate/polyvinyl impression putty |
| Temporary Crown Needed? | None (permanent crown placed same day) | Yes (plastic temporary prone to falling off or leaking) |
| Accuracy of Fit | Computer-milled within microns for exact margins | Dependent on manual plaster stone casts and shrinkage |
| Material Quality | 100% biocompatible ceramic or lithium disilicate (e.max) | Varies (porcelain-fused-to-metal, zirconia, or ceramic) |
| Total Turnaround Time | Same-day (< 2 hours) | 10 to 21 business days |
When Is a Dental Crown Recommended?
Dr. Ardeshna recommends a CEREC crown when natural tooth structure is compromised beyond what a standard composite filling can reliably protect:
- Severely Cracked or Fractured Teeth: Chewing on cracked teeth flexes the fractured segments, causing sharp pain and risking vertical root fracture. A crown encircles the entire tooth 360 degrees like a protective helmet.
- Large, Broken-Down Fillings: When an old silver amalgam or composite filling exceeds 50% of the tooth’s width, the remaining natural tooth walls become brittle and susceptible to catastrophic breakage.
- Following Root Canal Therapy: A root-canal-treated tooth loses its internal blood and nerve supply, becoming dehydrated and brittle over time. A permanent porcelain crown seals the tooth against reinfection and restores full chewing capacity.
- Severe Tooth Wear & Grinding (Bruxism): Chronic nocturnal grinding flattens tooth cusps, collapses bite vertical dimension, and exposes dentin. CEREC restorations rebuild lost tooth height and aesthetic contours.
- Cosmetic Discoloration & Misshapen Teeth: When teeth are intrinsically stained from medication or trauma and cannot be brightened by teeth whitening, a ceramic crown provides lifelike aesthetic renewal.
Clinical Benefits of Ceramic & Lithium Disilicate Materials
Modern in-office CEREC materials offer extraordinary clinical advantages:
1. Superior Marginal Fit and Gum Health
Because CEREC digital scanners capture margins with micron precision, the resulting crown fits seamlessly against your natural tooth line. Tight, microscopic margins prevent saliva and bacterial plaque from penetrating beneath the crown, dramatically reducing the risk of recurrent secondary decay.
2. Lifelike Aesthetics and Translucency
Unlike older porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns that develop an unsightly dark gray line at the gumline over time, CEREC crowns are 100% metal-free. They mimic the natural light refraction, opalescence, and translucency of organic tooth enamel.
3. Preservation of Natural Tooth Structure
Traditional lab crowns often require aggressive reduction of healthy enamel to accommodate thick metal copings. CEREC ceramic blocks can be bonded with high-strength resin cements, allowing Dr. Ardeshna to practice conservative dentistry and preserve more of your organic tooth.
How to Care for Your CEREC Crown
A CEREC crown is designed to last 15 to 20 years or longer with conscientious daily oral care:
- Brush Twice Daily: Use a soft-bristled toothbrush with fluoride toothpaste to keep the margin where crown meets gum clean.
- Floss Daily: Floss around your crown every day to remove interproximal plaque that toothbrushes cannot reach.
- Wear a Nightguard if You Grind: If you clench or grind your teeth at night, a custom protective nightguard from TruCare Dentistry prevents excessive stress on your restorations.
- Maintain 6-Month Hygiene Visits: Regular dental cleanings and exams allow Dr. Ardeshna to inspect crown margins and ensure your bite remains balanced.
CEREC Crown Cost, Insurance Coverage, & CareCredit Financing in Roswell
Many patients ask if cutting-edge same-day crowns carry a premium price tag. They do not:
- Equivalent to Traditional Crowns: We price CEREC crowns identically to standard lab crowns because eliminating external lab courier fees offsets the digital milling technology investment.
- Dental PPO Insurance Coverage: TruCare Dentistry accepts most major dental PPO insurance plans (including Delta Dental, MetLife, Cigna, Aetna, Guardian, and BCBS). We verify your coverage prior to treatment and file all claims on your behalf.
- Flexible Monthly Payment Plans: Through CareCredit®, you can finance your dental restoration with convenient 0% interest promotional plans that fit comfortably within your monthly budget.
Restore Your Broken Tooth Today at TruCare Dentistry Roswell
Don’t spend weeks enduring uncomfortable temporary crowns or dealing with messy impressions. Experience the speed, precision, and comfort of CEREC same-day dentistry.
Conveniently located on Coleman Road near the border of Roswell and East Cobb, our office is easily accessible from GA-120 and Johnson Ferry Road.
Need a dental crown in a single visit? Schedule your appointment online or call TruCare Dentistry today at (678) 321-7575.
“CEREC CAD/CAM technology allows us to restore a damaged tooth with microscopic precision in under two hours—eliminating gooey impression putty, fragile temporary crowns, and weeks of waiting.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Are CEREC same-day crowns as strong and durable as lab-made crowns? +
Yes. CEREC crowns are milled from solid blocks of medical-grade ceramic or lithium disilicate (e.max) that are heat-crystallized in an on-site furnace. Clinical studies confirm they offer equal or superior fracture resistance compared to traditional lab-fabricated porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) crowns.
How long does a CEREC same-day crown appointment take? +
A complete CEREC appointment takes approximately 90 minutes to two hours from start to finish. This includes digital 3D scanning, custom CAD design, in-office milling (15–20 minutes), glaze firing, and final bonding onto your tooth.
Do CEREC same-day crowns cost more than traditional dental crowns? +
No. At TruCare Dentistry, CEREC same-day crowns cost essentially the same as traditional lab-made crowns. Because we eliminate external dental laboratory courier and fabrication fees, we pass those efficiencies directly to our patients.
Does dental insurance cover CEREC same-day crowns? +
Yes. Most dental PPO insurance plans cover CEREC crowns under standard major restorative dental benefits (typically at 50% to 80% after deductible). Insurances classify the crown by the ceramic material, not whether it was milled in-office or at an off-site laboratory.
Why do so many patients prefer CEREC over traditional crowns? +
Patients love CEREC because it requires only a single appointment, eliminates uncomfortable temporary plastic crowns that frequently break or dislodge, avoids gooey impression trays, and requires only one administration of local anesthesia.
Schedule Your Visit in Roswell, GA
Same-day emergency appointments available. Serving Roswell, Marietta, and East Cobb.