Two Ways to Make a Dental Crown
A dental crown covers the visible portion of a tooth. It may be recommended when a tooth has lost too much structure, has a significant crack or fracture or requires another form of full coverage restoration. A crown can help restore the tooth’s shape and function, but the right design depends on the condition of the tooth and the way your teeth come together.
CEREC and lab created crowns serve the same basic purpose to restore and protect the natural tooth. They differ mainly in where the restoration is fabricated, how many appointments are typically involved, and which materials and design options are appropriate for the case.
A CEREC same-day crown is part of a chairside digital workflow. When a tooth is suitable for this approach, Dr. Lesperance can prepare the tooth, scan the tooth and bite digitally, design the crown, mill the crown in the office, and evaluate the fit before final placement.
A lab created crown follows a laboratory workflow. The prepared tooth typically requires an impression that is sent to a dental laboratory and they fabricate the final crown. The patient generally has a temporary crown in place for a couple weeks until the final crown is ready.
Neither method is automatically better for every tooth. The more useful question is which workflow gives Dr. Lesperance the right material, design control, and clinical conditions for your specific restoration.
How a CEREC Same-Day Crown Is Made
South Gables Dental offers CEREC one-visit crowns for appropriate cases. Dr. Lesperance has worked with CEREC restorative technology for over 20 years, so the process combines digital equipment with his experience evaluating fit, contours, appearance, and bite.
The appointment generally includes these stages:
1. Examination and planning: Dr. Lesperance evaluates the tooth, surrounding gum tissue, neighboring teeth, and bite.
2. Tooth preparation: The tooth is numbed when appropriate, and the tooth is shaped to create space for the dental crown.
3. Digital records: An iTero intraoral scanner captures a detailed digital record of the prepared tooth, nearby teeth, and bite. This avoids a traditional full-mouth impression.
4. Crown design: Dr. Lesperance plans the crown on-screen, considering how it should contact the adjacent teeth and meet the opposing tooth.
5. In-office milling: The dental crown is fabricated from an appropriate dental material using the office’s milling equipment.
6. Evaluation and placement: Dr. Lesperance checks the fit, contacts, appearance, and bite. When the crown meets Dr. Lesperance’s requirements, it is bonded or cemented in place.
The main convenience is that a permanent crown can usually be completed in one visit. That means no laboratory turnaround period and generally no temporary crown required between appointments.
How a Lab-Made Crown Is Made
The beginning of a lab created crown appointment is similar. Dr. Lesperance examines and prepares the tooth, then records the prepared area with a digital scan or impression. Those records are sent to a dental laboratory, where a technician fabricates the dental crown.
A temporary crown protects the prepared tooth while the laboratory completes the final crown. Because a temporary is not the finished restoration, patients receive instructions about chewing, cleaning, and what to do if it feels loose or comes off. When the final crown returns from the laboratory, the patient comes back so Dr. Lesperance can remove the temporary crown, evaluate the new crown, make necessary adjustments, and bond or cement it into place.
The exact turnaround time depends on the laboratory, material, and complexity of the case. Typically it is about 2 weeks for the permanent crown to be fabricated in a dental laboratory.
Why the Examination Comes Before the Crown Choice
It is reasonable to prefer the convenience of a same-day crown, but the tooth still needs to support that choice. Before making a recommendation, Dr. Lesperance considers:
– how much healthy tooth structure remains;
– whether decay or a fracture extends near or below the gumline;
– whether the tooth may need a build-up or root canal evaluation;
– the location of the tooth and the forces placed on it;
– the available restorative materials;
– the condition of the surrounding gums and neighboring teeth; and
– whether the case would benefit from a dental laboratory’s involvement.
A tooth with a straightforward preparation and favorable bite may be well suited to an in-office crown. A tooth with extensive damage, challenging margins, limited space, or complex esthetic or material needs may require a different plan. In some cases, another treatment may be more appropriate than either type of crown.
Dr. Lesperance reviews the digital images and clinical findings with the patient whenever possible. The goal is not simply to give a recommendation. It is to explain what he sees, why it matters, and what each realistic option would involve.
Comparing Convenience
For many patients, the clearest advantage of CEREC same-day crowns is convenience. Completing an eligible crown in one appointment can reduce return travel, time away from work, and the need to care for a temporary restoration. The digital scan also avoids trays of impression material in many cases.
A traditional crown asks more of the patient’s schedule because fabrication occurs outside the office. It also requires a temporary crown during the laboratory period.
A More Personal Crown Appointment in Coral Gables
Technology can make a dental crown workflow more efficient, but it does not replace the dentist’s judgment or the patient’s questions. Dr. Lesperance intentionally reserves time for each patient, and South Gables Dental does not double book appointments. One doctor and one assistant can remain focused on the patient rather than moving between several treatment rooms.
That time is especially valuable during a same-day crown appointment. Dr. Lesperance remains involved as the tooth is evaluated, scanned, designed, milled, adjusted, and placed.
The practice also offers free parking at its Coral Gables office, which removes one practical concern whether your treatment requires one appointment or a return visit.
Schedule a Crown Evaluation
If you have a cracked, worn, weakened, or heavily restored tooth, the first step is an examination. Dr. Lesperance can assess the tooth, explain whether it needs a crown, and determine if a CEREC same-day crown is appropriate for your situation.
Contact South Gables Dental to request a dental crown consultation in Coral Gables. You will have time to ask questions and understand the recommendation before treatment begins.
