Nobody likes to wait for something they need (or want). You might start counting the minutes as soon as you order something online, whether it's clothing or a pizza. But there are some instances when you might think that some patience is warranted because it's crucial that everything is done correctly. For many patients who need them, dental crowns often require several appointments. But your dentist might tell you that you're an ideal candidate for same-day dental crowns. How does this actually work?

A Streamlined Process

While the deterioration of your tooth means that it must be protected with a dental crown, the damage might not be especially severe, so minimal preparation work is required before the crown can be fitted. The process for same-day crowns is streamlined courtesy of a few technological advancements in the field of restorative dentistry.

While You Wait

You might not be familiar with terms such as chairside economical restoration of esthetic ceramics, or computer-aided-design and computer-aided-manufacturing. These terms are quite a mouthful, which is why they're referred to as CEREC and CAD/CAM. The keyword in CEREC is chairside, which means that your dental crowns will be made and fitted while you wait, and this is only possible with the computer modeling and fabrication provided by CAD/CAM. 

Scanning and Manufacturing

For same-day crowns, CAD is used to scan the problematic tooth, creating a 3D model of it. These specifications are used for onsite manufacturing (which is where CAM is used). The dental crown is made from a small, solid block of ceramic, in a process quite similar to 3D printing. A small amount of dental enamel has to be removed to accommodate the ceramic shell, although this process isn't particularly uncomfortable. In any event, your dentist can apply a numbing agent to desensitize the site. 

Installing the Crown

The ceramic crown is machine-milled and is ready for immediate installation. Your dentist then bonds the crown to the tooth, and your new dental crown is ready. There needs to be some caution in the following days, and you need to be careful to follow your dentist's dietary instructions so the crown isn't dislodged. It's possible that further adjustments will be needed in the weeks to come, but this is only if the crown was placed too high and has made your bite pressure uneven. Any adjustments will be minor, and it's unlikely that they will be needed.

If your particular dental problem allows it, you should strongly consider your dentist's recommendation for a same-day crown, saving you from extra trips to the dental clinic.