Same-Day Dental Crown 101: History, Materials and Benefits

posted in: Dental Crown | 0

Same-Day Dental Crown 101: History, Materials, and Benefits

Before the invention of the same-day dental crown, a patient suffering from the pain and discomfort of a damaged tooth had to make multiple visits to their dentist, put on a temporary crown, and get a traditional porcelain crown after waiting for some days or weeks.

But the introduction of Chairside Economic Restorations of Esthetic Ceramics (CEREC) technology and advancement in 3D imaging made it possible to have a crown designed, milled, and placed in just one day.

In this blog post, we discuss everything you need to know about same-day dental crowns as well as their benefits.

History of same-day dental crowns

Celebrated dentist and innovator Dr. Charles Henry Land, who is regarded as the father of gold and porcelain crowns, patented the platinum foil matrix for ceramic crowns in 1889 and created the first modern-day crowns in 1903.

The launch of CEREC in 1987 and the introduction of 3D software revolutionized dentistry and made same-day dental crowns a reality. Presently, dentists can create same-day crowns Computer-Aided Design (CAD) machines or Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) equipment.

Same-day crown materials

Same-day crowns are made from a thick and robust ceramic block. Ceramic is used for same-day crowns due to its strength, longevity, and natural teeth-like gloss and appearance. Apart from the look, the same-day crown has the shape and size of a natural tooth. But it is hollow and has an empty space within it to encase an injured or damaged tooth.

How same-day crowns are created?

Same-day crowns are created using 3D imaging and CAD technology. The dentist uses a specialized intraoral camera to create a 3D image of your damaged tooth.

The dentist creates the model for the crown. After that, they use a CEREC machine to make the same-day crown. After the crown is ready, the dentist will place it on the affected tooth. The whole process takes about one hour to two hours.

The dentist may recommend a traditional crown instead of a same-day crown only when the patients need to have an alloy crown in place instead of a porcelain one.

Benefits of same-day crowns

A same-day crown has many benefits over traditional crowns. Here are some of the most important benefits.

  1. Superfast

The speed at which same-day crowns are designed, milled, and placed is one of its biggest benefits. A professional and experienced dentist can design, make, and place same-day crowns in about two hours. On the other hand, traditional crowns need more than one visit.

  1. Made of the same materials as traditional crowns

If you think that the quality of materials used in same-day crowns is inferior to that of traditional crowns, then you’ll be surprised to know that the former is made of the same porcelain materials as the latter. 

  1. Natural looking, robust, and durable

Same-day crowns look just as natural as natural teeth as well as traditional porcelain crowns. As the same-day crown’s shape, size, and color is customized, it looks exactly like natural teeth. The materials used in same-day crowns are as robust and durable as the materials used in traditional crowns.

  1. Immediate restoration of function

Same-day crowns restore the function of your teeth immediately. After getting same-day crowns, you don’t have to change your diet, oral hygiene routine, or eating and speaking patterns. You can eat normal food, brush twice a day, and floss once daily as you used to do before.

  1. Prevents injury

Same-day crowns reduce injury risk as they fit in one visit, thereby eliminating the need to use temporary crowns that don’t fit properly and can cause injuries. Same-day crowns need less drilling, which puts less pressure on the affected tooth.

  1. Comfortable

Same-day crowns are far more comfortable and well-fitting than temporary crowns. The same-day crown fits well and reduces discomfort thanks to CEREC’s digital imaging technology. Unlike traditional crowns, which cause sore mouth at least twice, same-day crowns may cause mouth sore just once.

  1. Eliminates the use of putties for dental impression

CEREC’s digital imaging scanner in same-day crowns eliminates the need for using putties for dental impressions. The 3D model created by CEREC’s digital imaging technology eliminates more than just unpleasant taste. It also eliminates the inaccuracies caused by air bubbles in putty.

  1. Versatile

Same-day crowns are extremely versatile and can be used in a wide range of cosmetic and restorative procedures. It can enhance the survival age of a tooth that has undergone a root canal procedure. A study found that when fillings and crowns are used as restorations after a root canal procedure, the survival age of a tooth increases to more than 20 years. It can also be used as a dental implant cap.

  1. Competitive in costs

When sophisticated technology, digital imaging, and same-day lab milling are involved in making a crown, it usually gives the perception that the crowns would be expensive. But they aren’t. Same-day crowns cost about the same as traditional porcelain crowns. They eliminate the costs of making a temporary crown, and save you on copay you might pay for multiple visits and appointments. They also eliminate the need to visit your dentist more than once and help you to save time and gas which you would have spent on additional dental appointments.

  1. Need the same maintenance as natural teeth and traditional porcelain crowns

Same-day crowns need the same maintenance and oral care regimen as natural teeth and traditional porcelain crowns. You just need to brush your teeth for two minutes twice daily, floss once before going to bed, and visit your dentist twice a year.

Taking everything into consideration

Same-day crowns are among the greatest innovations in contemporary dentistry. They provide many advantages and protect affected teeth from further damage and complications. At TruCare Dentistry, we design, mill, and place CEREC crowns in a single visit. If you’re looking for a dental clinic that can provide you with high-quality same-day crowns in Roswell, GA, or neighboring areas such as Alpharetta, Dunwoody, Marietta, Milton, Sandy Springs, or Woodstock, contact us today.