Every so often we get a patient who looks at us skeptically and asks, “are same day crowns really done in one day?” Hey, we get it! It’s hard to believe that a procedure we’re so used to visiting the dentist three times over the course of weeks to get done can actually be done in just one appointment. But guess what? It can!
Want to get nerdy with me and learn more about how same day crowns are made and why they’re so awesome? Read on!
How Are Same Day Crowns Made?
Using the latest CAD/CAM technology, my team can create same day crowns right in the office during your visit. But that’s not all we can do! We can also create inlays and onlays with this technology!
First, we take a digital impression of your teeth using some pretty high tech equipment. No more yucky, gooey impressions! We just use our digital wand to take dozens and dozens of pictures of all the various angles of your mouth. The computer-aided design (CAD) technology we have will use these images to design a crown that will fit your teeth perfectly.
The best part? Our computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) technology can step in and actually create your crown right then and there! In the past, dentists would have to physically mail an impression of your teeth to a lab somewhere else, and they would make your crown. Actually, a lot of dental practices still do it this way! We love being able to offer our patients a true same day crown.
Why Same Day Crowns Are Better
Aside from the obvious benefit of getting all your dental work completed in a single appointment, there’s a few major benefits our CAD/CAM technology offers.
Let’s start with the impressions. Dentists who do not offer same day crowns have to take impressions of your teeth the old-fashioned way. That means putting a gooey paste in your mouth so they can make a mold of your tooth or teeth. This paste doesn’t taste great (no surprise there, probably) and it can also trigger some people’s gag reflex. No fun! Now that we can do it digitally, you can say “no thank you” to the goo.
Anyone who had a crown done back in the day also knows that wearing a temporary crown is kind of a pain in the butt. That used to be the only way to protect your teeth until your permanent crown was ready, but since we can do it all in one appointment, the temporary crown is no longer necessary.
There are other benefits to getting everything done in one appointment. An obvious benefit is the convenience of only needing to visit the dentist one day rather than two or three (or more, if your crown ends up needing to be sent back to the lab to get the fit right). If you have to take off work for the appointments, missing one afternoon is so much more manageable than missing multiple days! Lastly, you’ll only need to be administered anesthetic one time. For some people, this is a huge deal.
See For Yourself!
If you’re curious to see the progression of a same day crown, we shared a series of photos on Instagram recently. Click here to see the before, during, and after photos!
Have you been putting off a crown? Dr. Saterfiel and the friendly team at The Dental Boutique are here for you! Contact us to set up an appointment in our Lafayette dental studio; you can call us at 337.231.3000 or schedule your appointment online.
