Forget the Temps: We Offer Same-Day Dental Crowns

No matter how much you love your dentist and your smile, the multiple office visits and several weeks of waiting while a traditional dental crown is manufactured at an off-site lab can get frustrating.

That’s why we love CEREC® same-day crowns here at Wedgewood Dental in Rolla, Missouri. Short for chairside economical restoration of esthetic ceramic, the CEREC method uses innovative digital technology to eliminate the need for messy impressions and the long wait times you must endure with traditional crowns.

One visit and you’re on your way with a strong, functional, natural-appearing crown that helps perfect your smile and brighten your day.

Traditional crowns vs CEREC

Dental crowns are essential “caps” that fit snugly over damaged or misshapen teeth. Often crafted from porcelain, a crown is carefully shaped and colored to match your natural teeth. Once cemented in place, they are a cosmetically appealing fix for teeth that have cracked or become weak due to large fillings or root canals, or that otherwise mar the perfection of your smile.

Historically, a dental crown required at least two office visits. The initial appointment typically included prepping the damaged tooth, taking dental impressions, and creating a temporary crown designed to help protect the targeted tooth for several weeks.

Impressions were then sent to an off-site lab, where your permanent crown was manufactured and returned to the office. This typically took about three weeks. During your second visit, the crown was fitted, polished, and cemented in place.

The CEREC method provides all the benefits of a traditional crown but eliminates the three-week wait time. Instead of sending an impression to a lab, we manufacture your permanent crown here at Wedgewood Dental and cement it in place during your initial visit.

CEREC same-day crown procedure

We start with prepping the tooth, which may include a root canal, filling, or other necessary repair. Dr. Linda K. Westmoreland then uses an intraoral camera to capture images of the tooth requiring restoration. With the aid of the CEREC system, she then creates a virtual crown that fits the shape and size of the affected tooth.

With the virtual crown as a template, we use a dental milling machine to carve your permanent crown from a porcelain block that we selected to closely match the color of your natural teeth. We may recommend you consider professional teeth whitening in advance since crowns are not responsive to whitening.

Once the crown is ready, Dr. Westmoreland checks the fit of the crown in your mouth, makes any necessary adjustments, and then stains and glazes the porcelain to match your tooth color.

We then place the crown in a special oven and “bake” it for 20-25 minutes. If you’ve ever done ceramics, it’s the same idea.

Dr. Westmoreland then cements the completed crown in place, and you’re on your way.            

Your oral health is our top priority at Wedgewood Dental, but we also understand the importance of having a cosmetically pleasing smile. CEREC same-day crowns meet the high standards our founder, Dr. Linda Westmoreland, requires and blend perfectly with our desire to offer convenient and quality dental services to the Rolla, Missouri, community.

Schedule an appointment with Dr. Westmoreland at Wedgewood Dental for a consultation to learn if CEREC same-day crowns are right for you.