Do you need to get a dental crown to restore one of your teeth? If so, know that the technology for making a crown has come a long way. You no longer need to make an impression of your mouth, send it to a lab, and then receive a temporary crown while you wait weeks for the final crown to be made. Now it is possible to make a crown on the very same day. Here is what you can expect when you get a same-day crown at the dentist.

Scanning

The process starts by taking a 3D scan of your mouth with a special device designed for this purpose. By moving the tool around your mouth the dentist can get an accurate representation of the space between your teeth that needs to be filled in with a crown. The dentist can then design the crown with incredible accuracy that fits with the upper and lower jaw to create a comfortable crown.

Milling

The milling machine is much like a 3D printer but is done in reverse. The dentist places a block of porcelain into the machine, and diamond burs are used to shape the block into a crown. This is all done the same day during your dental appointment, and it can happen incredibly fast. The milling technology is how patients are now able to get same-day crowns.

Polishing and Glazing

The dentist will then polish and glaze the dental crown to perform the final preparations. Suction is used to remove any particles that could be left on the tooth, and then glaze material is placed over the surface to give the ceramic crown a color that matches the surrounding teeth. It's more of an artistic process than you may think to get the color just right. 

The crown is then put into a furnace, which helps cure the glaze. It is much like what is done with pottery when it is placed into a kiln. 

Seating

The finished crown can now be seated in the patient's mouth. Dental cement is used to secure the crown to the prepared tooth, and any excess dental cement is removed. The dental cement cures very fast, which ensures that the crown is not going to easily loosen over time. The dentist will check the bite of the patient to ensure that everything fits perfectly, then send the patient home with their finished dental crown.