Do you do same day crowns?

Over the past few years, technology in the dental world has continued to grow. New and exciting procedures have been developed and the possibilities for the future are endless. One of the more popular technology upgrades is the ‘same day crown.’ There is a device available that allows the dentist to prepare the tooth, create the crown at their office, and cement it in one long appointment. The elimination of the temporary crown is a huge advantage for the patient, but there are a few limitations that still exist.

Material Choice:

Each particular person and tooth is unique and should be treated accordingly. Fortunately, a dentist has access to a number of different materials when creating a new crown. One of the limitations of the same day crown is they only offer certain types of crowns. In many situations, these crowns work very well and can have great success. However, in our opinion, there are frequently situations where other types of crowns may produce a better long term result.

Advantages of the Temporary Crown:

Even though a temporary crown can be a nuisance, it can provide significant advantages for dentist and the long-term health of that tooth. When creating a new crown, we are creating a prosthetic device for your tooth that is new and foreign. We can use the transitional phase to determine the ideal size, shape, material, and bite for the crown before creating and cementing the final crown.

Unfortunately, after preparing a tooth for a crown there are times when the tooth is in need of a root canal. If the tooth is symptomatic during the temporary phase, a root canal can be completed before cementing the final crown. This way we don’t have to damage the new crown when the root canal is performed.

There are definitely circumstances where a ‘same day crown’ can be advantageous and provide an excellent restoration. However, there are still many instances where we feel the traditional crown procedure may provide better long term results. As technology continues to develop, we will continue to assess the options to provide the best treatment we can.