Are Same Day Crowns Worth It?

Dental crowns are needed for multiple reasons. You might have to restore a broken or cracked tooth, to cover a dental implant, to hold a dental bridge in place or to cover misshapen or discolored teeth. 

However, the traditional dental crown procedure requires at least two appointments with your dentist and it usually takes over a week to restore a damaged tooth. Fortunately, it’s not like that anymore. Thanks to the most recent dental equipment a whole procedure can be completed within the same day.

In this post we’ll take a look at the “same-day crown” service, how is it possible and is it worth it. 

First of all, let’s discuss how a dental crown is made in such a short time. 

Same-day crowns, CEREC crowns or milled crowns are terms for a crown created using a computerized mill right in the office. This mill cuts it out of a solid block of material based upon specifications generated from a digital impression taken of the tooth. This process usually takes about half an hour, depending on the mill in use.

Actually, these mills aren’t limited to crowns. Onlays, abutments, and veneers can also be milled the same day.

To help you make an informed decision if your dentist offers this type of crowns, we’re going to share its benefits, disadvantages as well as why should you get same-day crowns.

Benefits

Obviously, the first great advantage that comes to mind is time. Your permanent crown can be placed in the same appointment as the crown prep is performed, without the need of a temporary one. This saves you from a double or triple visit to the dentist’s office for a single procedure.

In fact, a huge advantage for many people is that you skip putty-like pastes, which could be an extremely uncomfortable experience.

The next thing that you probably think of now is that if you’re done in one appointment, the price should be lower as well. However, the technology needed to fabricate a crown in-office is quite complex, which also makes it expensive. Of course, this affects the price of the service. This doesn’t mean that it’s more expensive than regular crown placement, but it’s not cheaper as well. The advantage here is more on the convenience side, rather than financial.

Nevertheless, at Gallegos Family Dentistry we want to provide services affordable to anyone. That’s why we offer different payment plans, which can help you for the portion of the cost that isn’t covered by dental insurance.

Disadvantages

The technology in this sphere is rapidly changing. Same-day crowns are a quite controversial topic in dentistry. With that in mind, the main disadvantage is that the quality of a milled crown highly depends on the skill of your dentist. An enough skilled professional could achieve a result comparable to that of a lab,  both aesthetically and functionally.

However, that’s not always the case, so make sure you do your research and choose an experienced dentist, that will provide you with the best result possible. Furthermore, if there’s any king of fracture below the gumline, traditional crowns might fit better, as the intraoral camera may not be able to capture a precise image there.

Can You Get A Same-Day Crown?

People are usually more concerned about the aesthetics of their front teeth. That’s why if you need a crown on some of them, for the best possible results and color match you might choose a crown fabricated by a lab.

On the other hand, as of aesthetics of back teeth, it’s not as crucial, so a same-day crown will be your perfect choice. 

As of the materials, an interesting fact is that many people still consider gold crowns, when it comes to functional restorations. Actually modern materials may have started rivaling gold crowns in terms of longevity, however, the official verdict is still out.

Same day crowns are also your best choice if you want to prevent injury or tooth decay. In the case of traditional crowns, you first need temporary ones till the permanent are available. However, these temporary crowns don’t fit as well and might come out. 

Same-day crowns are fitted immediately and keep your teeth stronger as they require less drilling and save more of your tooth. Dislodged temporary crowns may also make room for decay, which you avoid with same day ones.

So Is The No Wait Worth It?

Anything that is effective and saves you time is worth it. Especially if you have a busy lifestyle multiple visits to a dentist for applying crowns would be that last thing you want. Same-day crowns make this process faster and less complicated. We’ve listed some of its advantages and disadvantages. It’s essential for discussing them with us before making the final decision.

If you still have any concerns about dental crowns or you’d just like to have a regular checkup, call us and book an appointment today!