Same Day Crowns in Reston, Virginia
What a Same Day Crown Is
A same day crown is a permanent ceramic restoration designed, milled and cemented during one appointment. The process is built on high-precision 3D scanning and automated milling using a CAD/CAM system.
The result is a metal-free restoration strong enough for the posterior teeth and appropriate for the anterior teeth, and the same approach produces veneers, inlays and short bridges. Patients are able to watch the restoration being designed and milled while they wait.
Advantages of CEREC Treatment
- Speed. Producing and fitting a crown, veneer or inlay takes approximately one and a half to two hours. This removes the second appointment entirely.
- No temporary restoration. Conventional crown treatment involves wearing a temporary for one to two weeks. Temporaries loosen, they are sensitive to hot and cold, and they restrict what you can eat. A same day crown eliminates that period.
- Comfort. Digital scanning replaces conventional impression material, which patients with a pronounced gag reflex will appreciate. The digital workflow also produces a restoration that seats closely against the tooth, which shortens the adjustment period.
- Strength and longevity. The restoration is milled from a single block of ceramic rather than layered, which produces a durable result that holds its properties over many years.
- Accuracy. 3D scanning and CAD/CAM design produce a restoration with a precise fit, which reduces the need for chairside adjustment.
- Appearance. Ceramic reproduces the shade and translucency of natural enamel closely, and a CEREC crown is difficult to distinguish from the surrounding teeth.
- Biocompatible materials. Ceramic is well tolerated and contains no metal, which matters to patients with a history of reaction to metal restorations.
- Your scan is retained. The digital record of your restoration is kept, so if a crown is damaged in an accident, we already have the design data and do not need to start from the beginning.
- The technique is used on natural teeth and on implants.
The CEREC System
The system consists of two components, an intraoral scanner and a milling unit.
The dentist scans the prepared tooth, and the software generates a virtual model and reconstructs the missing portion of the tooth to within microns. The milling unit then cuts the restoration from a ceramic block, producing an accurate fit and a durable result.
When a Same Day Crown Is Indicated
- When 30 percent or more of the crown of the tooth is lost.
- A fractured or chipped tooth.
- Diastema and enlarged spaces between the teeth.
- Thinning enamel.
- Fluorosis.
- Abfraction lesions at the gumline.
- Replacing one or two missing teeth.
When Another Approach Is Better
Several conditions need addressing before a ceramic restoration is placed, and in most cases the sequence is what changes rather than the treatment plan itself.
Active periodontitis is treated first.
Untreated root canals are completed before the tooth is restored.
Where oral hygiene needs improvement, a professional cleaning comes first. This applies to all restorative treatment, not only CEREC.
An unstable bite or excessive tooth mobility is assessed before a permanent restoration is placed.
Bruxism does not rule out a ceramic restoration, but it does need managing. Patients who grind at night are fitted with a night guard, which protects the restoration and the natural teeth alongside it.
What the Appointment Involves
- All restorative treatment begins with professional hygiene.
- Preparing the tooth. The tooth is shaped to receive the restoration, under local anesthetic.
- 3D scanning. An intraoral scanner records the prepared tooth and the surrounding teeth. Scanning takes about five minutes and replaces conventional impressions.
- Design. The dentist designs the restoration from the 3D model. This takes between ten and thirty minutes, and you can watch it happen.
- Milling. The milling unit produces the restoration from a solid ceramic block. This stage takes twenty to forty minutes and requires no subsequent fitting adjustment.
- Firing and glazing. The restoration is fired to strengthen it and glazed to produce the translucency of natural enamel. This takes approximately fifteen minutes.
- Placement. The restoration is bonded to the tooth with a light-cured adhesive system. Any final adjustment is made at this point to confirm the fit and the bite. Placement takes about twenty minutes.
- There is no recovery period. You return to normal activity immediately. Maintain your usual hygiene routine with a soft brush, and we will tell you if anything specific applies to your case.
What Same Day Crowns Cost
The cost depends on the type of restoration, the ceramic used and the condition of the tooth. A tooth requiring build-up or root canal treatment beforehand involves more work than one that is prepared and restored directly.
Crowns are classified as restorative rather than cosmetic treatment, so most dental plans contribute toward them, commonly around half, subject to your annual maximum and any waiting period. We will verify your benefits and tell you what your plan is likely to cover before treatment begins.
You receive a written treatment plan with an itemized estimate following your examination. Treatment is generally an eligible HSA and FSA expense, and financing is available.
CEREC Dentist Serving Reston and Northern Virginia
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a same day crown appointment take?
Approximately one and a half to two hours from preparation to placement, depending on the tooth and the restoration.
