Same-Day Crowns in San Diego: What Really Happens During Your Visit

Author: Dr. Alexandros Reizian

When I tell patients we can make their dental crown right here in our office and place it during the same visit, one of the first questions I hear is, “Wait, really? How does that work?”

Traditionally, getting a dental crown has meant preparing the tooth, taking an impression, wearing a temporary crown, and coming back a few weeks later once a dental lab finishes the permanent restoration. And there’s nothing inherently wrong with that process, but today, we have technology that allows us to make the experience much more efficient.

At Talmadge Family Dental, our approach to same-day crowns in San Diego combines digital scanning with our own in-house lab and milling capabilities. For many patients, that means we can prepare the tooth, design the restoration, create it, and place the final crown in about an hour and a half to two hours.

But speed is only part of why I like this process. Bringing more of the work in-house gives me greater control over quality, allows us to make adjustments immediately, and creates a much easier overall experience for our patients.

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Why we brought crown fabrication in-house

Quality control is one of the most important parts of what we do. About two years ago, we started building out our own dental lab, and it changed the way we’re able to care for patients.

When different steps of your treatment are being handled across multiple locations, there are naturally more variables involved. Having an in-office workflow means our team can oversee more of the process from beginning to end. If we need to evaluate a detail, make an adjustment, or revisit something in the design, we can do that here.

It also makes dentistry more convenient. Instead of sending you home in a temporary crown and asking you to return weeks later, a one visit crown allows us to complete the restoration while you’re already here and comfortably numb.

What happens during a same-day crown appointment?

Most patients can expect their same-day dental crown appointment to take approximately 90 minutes to two hours, although every tooth and every case is a little different.

The first portion of the appointment is focused on getting you comfortable, numbing the area, and preparing the tooth. If there is decay or damaged tooth structure that needs to be removed, I’ll take care of that and shape the remaining tooth so it can properly support the crown.

Once the tooth is prepared, we move into the digital side of the process.

Step 1: We take an iTero digital scan

Instead of filling a tray with impression material and asking you to hold it in your mouth, we can use an iTero digital scan to capture a detailed model of your teeth and bite.

Traditional impressions can work very well, but they aren’t always the most comfortable experience. Some patients have a sensitive gag reflex, and if part of a traditional impression doesn’t capture correctly, the whole impression may need to be taken again.

With digital scanning, I can move the camera around the teeth and see the scan developing as we go. If you need a break, we can stop, let you relax, and pick up where we left off. If one small area needs to be rescanned, we can usually correct that section rather than starting over completely.

Step 2: Your crown is designed and made in-house

Once we have the scan, that digital information is used to design your restoration. Our in-house lab can then fabricate the crown while you’re still at the office.

This is the part of the appointment where you get to relax a little. Some patients watch Netflix on our ceiling-mounted TVs. If you need other dental treatment, we may be able to work on that while the crown is being made. Or, if you saw something interesting on your scan and have questions, we can use the time to talk through it.

Step 3: We check the fit and place your final crown

Once your in-office milling crown is finished, we evaluate how it fits your tooth, your bite, and the teeth around it. We make any adjustments that are needed before securely bonding the crown into place.

Then you’re done! There’s typically no temporary crown to manage and no second appointment several weeks later just to place the final restoration.

Does a digital scan really make that much of a difference?

For certain patients, absolutely. I’ve had patients in the past who dreaded needing a crown primarily because they dreaded impression material. Once we introduced digital scanning, you could see the relief when they realized there was no tray full of goopy material involved.

The iTero scanner is useful for more than impressions, too. We routinely use digital scans as a visual record of a patient’s teeth and bite. It allows both our team and the patient to see what we’re talking about rather than trying to explain everything with a dental mirror.

One thing I always tell patients, though, is not to judge the color of their teeth based solely on how they appear in the digital scan. The scanner gives us valuable information, but it isn’t intended to be the only tool we use when evaluating tooth shade.

What are same-day crowns made from?

There are several materials available for dental restorations, and choosing the right one depends on where the tooth is located, how much force it handles, cosmetic considerations, and your individual situation. Two of the most common tooth-colored materials are e.max and zirconia.

E.max is a high-quality ceramic material that can provide excellent esthetics, which makes it a great option in cases where appearance is especially important. For crowns or veneers toward the front of the smile, for example, esthetics play a major role in material selection.

Zirconia is also very natural-looking, but I particularly like it when we need additional strength. A back molar takes a lot of force when you bite and chew, so durability becomes an especially important consideration.

There isn’t one crown material that is automatically best for every person or every tooth. My goal is to choose a material that makes sense for that specific restoration and gives us the best opportunity for a long-lasting result.

Will my same-day crown look natural?

That’s always the goal! A dental crown shouldn’t just protect the tooth underneath it. It should also fit comfortably into your bite and look like it belongs in your smile. We consider the shape, proportions, surrounding teeth, and shade when planning your restoration.

How long can a same-day crown last?

I’ve seen high-quality porcelain and zirconia crowns last 10, 15, 20 years, and sometimes even longer. But the material itself is only one piece of the equation.

The longevity of any crown depends on several things. The tooth needs to be properly prepared, the crown needs to fit and seal correctly, and then we need to take care of everything around it. That means brushing, flossing, keeping sugar and highly refined carbohydrates in check, and coming in regularly so we can evaluate the crown and surrounding teeth. Habits such as clenching, grinding, chewing ice, or biting fingernails can also put extra stress on both crowns and natural teeth.

Your mouth is a pretty demanding environment. We ask our teeth to do a lot every single day. The better we protect both your restoration and your natural teeth, the better chance we have of keeping them healthy for many years.

Same-day crown vs. traditional crown: What’s the difference?

The biggest difference is the workflow. With a traditional crown, the tooth is prepared during the first appointment, an impression or digital scan is taken, and that information is sent to an outside dental lab. You’ll generally wear a temporary restoration while the crown is being created, then return for another appointment to have the permanent crown placed.

With a same-day crown, we can complete much of that process right then and there. The tooth is prepared, digitally scanned, and the crown is designed and fabricated in-house before being placed during the same visit.

Traditional lab crowns are still appropriate in certain situations. Same-day technology simply gives us another option when we believe we can provide the quality, fit, materials, and esthetics the case requires without making you come back for another appointment.

Need a crown? We can make the process easier.

Nobody gets excited about hearing that they need a dental crown. But needing treatment doesn’t mean you should have to deal with weeks of waiting, uncomfortable impressions, or unnecessary appointments.

Our investment in digital scanning and an in-house dental lab is about giving our patients a better experience while maintaining the quality control that matters to me as a dentist. If you need a crown, we’ll explain why we’re recommending it, walk you through your options, and give you the information you need to make a decision you feel comfortable with.

If you’re looking for same-day crowns in San Diego, give Talmadge Family Dental a call. Our team can help you schedule your visit, review your insurance questions, and provide any information you need before getting started.

Ready to restore your tooth without the usual wait? Schedule your visit with Dr. Alex and the Talmadge Family Dental team today.