Forget the Temps: We Offer Same-Day Dental Crowns

Whether you suddenly chip your tooth while playing your favorite sport, or a longstanding crack finally gives in and a piece of a tooth breaks off, you don’t want to wait weeks for a crown.

That’s why we offer same-day crowns at Silicon Valley Dental Associates in Sunnyvale, California. No matter why you need a crown, we can take care of it in one visit because we offer high-quality CEREC® crowns.

Here’s what you need to know about how we make CEREC crowns on site so we can restore your tooth — and your appearance — in just a few hours rather than weeks.

Traditional and CEREC crowns: One major difference

Traditional crowns and CEREC crowns serve the same purpose: They cover a tooth that’s damaged, whether it’s cracked, chipped, or is weak due to extensive decay.

All types of crowns fully encase the tooth, protecting the damaged tooth so it stays alive and restoring the tooth’s natural strength and function.

Preserving your tooth is essential for your long-term dental health, but we never skimp on your appearance. Most traditional crowns and all CEREC crowns are made from ceramic that has the same sheen as your natural enamel and matches your natural teeth. 

There’s only one difference between traditional and CEREC crowns, and that’s the time it takes to get your permanent crown.

Skip the temporary crown: It’s all about the CEREC process

Here’s what happens when you get a traditional crown versus a CEREC crown.

Traditional crown process

For a traditional crown, you need at least two office visits spaced weeks apart. At the first visit, we prepare your tooth for the crown, take an impression, and choose the color for your crown.

Then the information goes to a dental lab that produces the crown. It takes at least two weeks to get your new crown. In the meantime, we put a temporary crown over your tooth so it’s protected while you wait for the real thing.

CEREC same-day crown process

You don’t need the temp crown and you sure don’t have to wait weeks for a crown, because we complete the process in just one visit. How do we make that happen? By using chairside ceramic reconstruction, or CEREC technology, which combines advanced digital imaging with an on-site fabrication machine.

When you come in for your crown, we prepare your tooth to support the crown and then use digital imaging software to take a 3D scan of your mouth. 

We send the digital image to our on-site fabrication machine, which mills your permanent crown from a block of ceramic that we carefully choose to match your natural tooth color. It takes about 45-60 minutes to mill the tooth, so in the meantime, you can relax in the office.

When the crown is finished, we make sure it’s a perfect fit, polish it, and cement it to your tooth. From start to finish, your same-day crown procedure only takes a few hours.

You don’t need to worry about wearing a temporary crown because you walk out of the office proudly displaying your beautiful new CEREC crown.

We’re here to answer your questions and tell you more about same-day crowns. If you have a damaged or painful tooth, call us at Silicon Valley Dental Associates to book an appointment.