Same-day Crowns in Hamilton are here!

The wait is over! Same-day crowns in Hamilton are here and ready for you at the Hamilton Dental Centre. Thanks to our adoption of CAD/CAM technology, we are now able to see and treat patients requiring new dental crowns over the course of a day. Those of you who have already been through a traditional treatment will know that it can usually take 2 – 3 weeks but those days are long gone which is great news for all. 

What are same-day crowns?

Same-day crowns are as described in basic terms – i.e. crowns that can be made and fitted on the same day at a dental practice. As just mentioned, this differs from traditional crowns which can take 2 – 3 weeks to complete the process.

This is because traditionally, physical impressions had to be made of the tooth, which then had to be sent to a lab for production. Now, CAD/CAM technology has digitised the process with 3D scans and virtual designs used in conjunction with state-of-the-art milling machines that can create crowns from a single piece of ceramic, quick enough to have your new crown ready and fitted in a day. 

How does CAD/CAM technology work?

CAD/CAM is an abbreviation for two different technologies, computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM). These work together in unison to give us the quick turnaround for same-day crowns. 

The CAD/CAM process starts with scans taken of your tooth using highly sophisticated cameras. Design software then takes these scans to create a virtual restorative design with incredible accuracy and precision. 

Once the design is checked and finalised by your dentist, it is then sent to a CAD/CAM milling machine. From a single piece of ceramic, the new crown is then milled taking into account aspects like the most appropriate shade of the surrounding teeth so that it blends in seamlessly.

What are the benefits of same-day crowns?

There are a number of benefits when it comes to same-day crowns which include a range of different factors including convenience, time, comfort and wellbeing. 

Speed

The most obvious and apparent benefit is, of course, the speed of the whole process, going from start to end in a day. Time is a precious commodity when it comes to modern-day life so the fact that you only need to commit one day instead of two to this process is a tremendous benefit in itself. 

There is also time saved with the procedure itself. This is possible because no temporary crown has to be made and fitted for the time in-between visits as was the case with the traditional method. While we’re proud to say our patients are extremely comfortable in the safe and experienced hands of our dentists, most people would still prefer less time in the dentist’s chair where possible.

Comfort

There are also a number of benefits to do with comfort that is appealing for a lot of patients. Firstly, the old way of taking physical impressions required the use of alginate in the mouth, a dense jelly-like substance that hardens to form the model from which a crown is made. This can sometimes invoke a slight gag reflex for the patient which is less than desirable. With digital scans taking their place, this is no longer a problem to have to deal with.

Secondly, on the point of comfort, only one injection is needed for your same-day crown as opposed to two via the traditional means. For some people with a particular aversion to needles, it’s an absolute game-changer and makes this way, the only way to get a new crown fitted. 

Well-being

Lastly, (though we could go on), there are the well-being benefits of having a new crown fitted in a single day. In the past, some patients have understandably felt a bit of anxiety during the weeks’ wait while the new crown is being made. There has also been a bit of anxiety due to the look of the temporary crown, designed only as a placeholder without the close matching of shade and detail that the final crown has. 

Both these well-being issues are negated by having the process completed on the same day with no long wait required and the finished naturally-blended crown in your mouth by the end of the day. 

How does the same-day crown procedure work at the Hamilton Dental Centre? 

The first step in the process at the Hamilton Dental Centre is to get in touch with us about booking your same-day crown procedure (assuming it’s been concluded by a dentist that a crown is required).

We’ll then work with you to pick a date where two appointments can be made for the day. The first appointment (usually in the morning or early afternoon) is to essentially take scans of the tooth, while the second appointment (later that day) is to have the crown fitted once it’s been made by the milling machine. We have not one, but two CAD/CAM milling machines at the Hamilton Dental Centre so have no trouble turning them around in that time.

Once your crown is fitted in the second appointment, the job is all done and you’ll have yourself a permanent crown that’ll function and perform just as well as a natural tooth.

Get your same-day crown in Hamilton booked today!

As you can see, there are some great benefits in opting for a same-day crown procedure that’ll save you time, alleviate your anxieties, be more comfortable and result in a great-looking crown too. If you’ve any more questions about the process feel free to give us a call/send us an email and we’ll talk you through it so you can make the best decision for you and your oral health. You can also check out these helpful FAQs on same-day crowns.