CEREC Same-Day Crown or Lab Crown? How to Choose in Bountiful, UT
If a tooth has broken and you've been told it needs a crown, the next question is how you'll get it. A CEREC same-day crown is designed, milled and placed in one appointment. A lab crown usually takes two appointments, with a temporary crown in between. At Millcreek Family Dental in Bountiful, UT, Dr. Anthony Baird makes crowns right in our office, and he'll tell you when a lab is the better route for your tooth.
What's the difference between a CEREC same-day crown and a lab crown?
The difference is where your crown gets made and how many visits it takes. Either kind covers a damaged tooth to bring it back to its normal shape and size, and a crown can make the tooth stronger, according to the American Dental Association's MouthHealthy guide to crowns.
Dr. Baird sums up the usual lab route simply: "The traditional crown process is two appointments." That means getting numb twice, about two weeks wearing a temporary crown, and rearranging your schedule a second time.
With CEREC, your crown is made here while you wait. "I make the crown right here in about 90 minutes." The ceramic is the same material a lab uses, and you leave with your permanent crown that day. You can read more about same-day crowns at Millcreek Family Dental on our service page.
How does a CEREC crown get made in one visit?
Your tooth is scanned, your crown is designed on a screen, and a small mill in our office carves it from a block of ceramic, all in a single appointment. The visit follows these steps:
- Dr. Baird prepares the tooth and scans it digitally.
- He designs your crown on the screen and can adjust the design before it's milled.
- The mill carves your crown from a ceramic block in about 20 minutes.
- He places the finished crown the same day.
While your crown is being milled, you can watch a show on the TV in the ceiling with wireless headphones. Ask for a blanket and we'll get you tucked in.
When is a lab crown the better choice?
A lab makes sense for a few kinds of dental work, and Dr. Baird will tell you if yours is one of them. A same-day crown is the fit when one tooth has broken down to the point that it needs a crown.
Smile makeovers work differently. Dr. Baird doesn't do them same day, because he wants you to wear temporaries first, before the final teeth go in.
Crowns on dental implants also go to a lab. An implant crown sits on a custom abutment, a metal connector made for your implant. When the implant is ready, Dr. Baird scans it, the lab makes the custom abutment with the crown, and he places it here.
Why do Bountiful patients choose Dr. Baird at Millcreek Family Dental for same-day crowns?
Patients choose us because Dr. Baird designs and checks each same-day crown himself. He sees the prep, the scan, the design and the fit in one appointment. In his words: "I do them because I control the quality."
Saving you a second visit comes second for him. "Same day crowns save time as a side effect." After years of refining his workflow, his crowns rarely need adjustment when they go in.
Dr. Baird has practiced in Bountiful since 2003, and he sees a lot of broken teeth, from old fillings and old crowns that give out. When you call with one, we usually prioritize getting you in the same day. If it happens after hours, Dr. Baird takes those emergency calls himself.
Does needing a crown mean I didn't take care of my teeth?
No. Needing a crown says nothing about how well you've cared for your mouth. As Dr. Baird puts it, "Crowns happen because teeth crack."
One of his patients, a young man with great oral hygiene and barely any dental work in his life, tripped getting out of a car and broke his two front teeth. He did nothing wrong. Teeth break, and old fillings wear out.
A cracked tooth tends to get worse over time, and earlier treatment leads to better results, according to the American Association of Endodontists. Dr. Baird sees no shame in a broken tooth, however long you've waited. "Let's just get you in and get it taken care of."
What does getting numb for a crown feel like?
For most patients, getting numb is gentler than they expect. Dr. Baird buffers the anesthetic so it doesn't sting going in, and he uses a vibration tool during the injection. Most patients say they hardly feel it.
If you'd like a little more help relaxing, laughing gas is available too. Between the ceiling TV, the headphones and a warm blanket, the hour and a half goes by quickly.
Got a broken tooth, or a crown you've been putting off? Call our Bountiful dental office at 801-292-4009 or send us a message, and we'll find out whether a same-day crown is right for your tooth.
Published by Millcreek Family Dental.
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