Same Day Crowns And Conventional Crowns: What's the difference?

Getting a dental crown placed on your tooth requires multiple steps. Generally speaking, it takes around two weeks for a crown to be fabricated conventionally at an external dental lab. During this time, you’ll need to wear a temporary crown and return to your dentist for a second visit to have the permanent crown placed. If the crown does not fit or needs extensive adjustments, additional visits are required.

Recently, same day crowns are changing the game. Same day crowns can be designed, created and fitted in just one day. This approach is faster and convenient for patients. But many people may think that faster means lower quality. This misconception leads some to believe that same day crowns aren’t as good as conventional ones. But here’s the truth: same day crowns are just as strong, durable and beautiful as conventional crowns. The difference isn’t in the quality—it’s in the process.

What is a dental crown?

Dental crowns are a form of dental restoration that covers a damaged tooth. They are used to manage dental issues or to restore the shape, size and strength of the tooth. Dental crowns therefore protects a broken tooth, supports a tooth with a large filling, or improves the appearance of a discoloured, misshapen or decayed tooth.

Dental crowns can be fabricated using a variety of materials such as porcelain/ceramic crowns (zirconia and lithium disilicate), porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) crowns, full metal crowns and gold crowns. Each of these materials has its own advantages and disadvantages in terms of strength, durability, aesthetics, and cost. For the sake of this article, we will be talking about the porcelain or ceramic type of crown. If you would like to read more about the different materials, including all the traditional crown materials, please click here.

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Same Day Crowns and Conventional Crowns: What are the differences?

To understand the differences between same day crowns and conventional/traditional crowns, let's first look at how they are fabricated. The key difference lies in the technology and workflow—same day crowns simply streamline the process without cutting corners.

1) Conventional dental crowns

A permanent crown, such as a porcelain or ceramic crown, is often used to protect the treated tooth while blending seamlessly with the surrounding teeth.

Traditional crowns are created in an external dental laboratory, often requiring two or more visits. The process begins with tooth preparation, where the dentist cleans and shapes your tooth to ensure that the crown will fit securely and comfortably. Once the tooth is prepared, the dentist takes a dental impression, which may be in the form of a digital impression or physical impression. The impression acts as a mold to capture the exact shape and size of your teeth. This ensures the permanent crown will fit and align naturally with your bite. Following the conventional method, it takes time for the permanent crown to be fabricated. Hence, a temporary crown is placed over your tooth to protect it and allow you to chew normally while waiting for the permanent crown.

The impression is then sent to an external dental lab. An external dental lab is a separate facility, not located within a dental clinic, that helps dentists by creating custom dental appliances for patients. These labs work with many different dental offices and clinics, providing the necessary restorations like dental crowns, dental bridges, dental implants, dentures and other dental prosthetics. The external lab is staffed by dental technicians. They do not see patients directly; instead, they receive impressions or digital scans of patients' teeth from the dental clinics. Using these, they design and fabricate the dental prosthetics before sending the finished dental restorations back to the clinic for the dentist to place in the patient's mouth. This process can take up to two weeks.

During your next dental visit, the dentist removes the temporary crown and places the permanent one, checking the fit and making minor adjustments as needed to ensure it feels comfortable and looks natural. Occasionally, the crown may not fit quite right or might need significant adjustments to align with your bite. If this happens, the crown is sent back to the lab for corrections, which can add more waiting time and require another appointment.

While traditional crowns have been the standard for many years, the process can be time-consuming and inconvenient. Patients may experience discomfort from wearing a temporary crown, which can sometimes cause irritation or even break before the permanent crown is ready. Plus, the added cost of temporary crowns and multiple visits can make the process feel frustrating for those with busy schedules.

2) Same day dental crowns

This is where same day crowns come in. Same day crowns are also known as CEREC crowns as they are made from CEREC (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics) technology. These CEREC same day crowns are made using modern CAD/CAM technology.With advancements like the CEREC milling machine, patients can now receive accurate fitting crowns without the lengthy waiting period associated with traditional dental lab processes.  This 3D image represents an accurate impression of your teeth. It is then sent to our in-house lab where the CEREC crown is designed digitally, fabricated and ready to be placed on the same day.

Additionally, our in-house lab uses a fully digital workflow, so you won’t have to deal with uncomfortable, messy impressions. We use pure ceramics for your crown, sourced from natural feldspar found in Norway and Sweden, ensuring they are both durable and natural-looking. Find out more about our in-house dental lab here.

What are the benefits of same day crowns over conventional crowns?

Same day crowns is not a ‘rushed’ dental procedure. Every step—preparing the tooth, designing the crown, and fitting it—follows the same careful process as with conventional/traditional crowns. The process is simply, streamlined, with additional benefits such as:

1. Utilises modern technology

   Same day dental crowns rely on modern dental technology like digital intraoral scanners and CAD/CAM (Computer-Aided Design and Computer-Aided Manufacturing). This technology ensures every detail of your crown is designed with precision, down to the smallest millimeter. Because the design is digital and accurate, CEREC same day crowns fit snugly and look just like a natural tooth.

2. Expertise from both dentists and ceramists

   For same day crowns, the dental lab will be located within the clinic. There is therefore no need to send your impressions to an external facility. This allows the dentist to personally oversee the entire process and enables ceramists to examine the patient's teeth in person, ensuring an accurate match for the crown's shade and natural appearance. Dentists and ceramists have a sharp eye for both aesthetics and functionality, creating crowns that look and feel just right.

3. Immediate Adjustments

   If adjustments are needed, they can be made right away while you’re still at the clinic. This isn’t always possible with conventional crowns, where significant adjustments may require sending the crown back to the external lab.

4. Convenience without sacrificing care

   The biggest advantage of same day dental crowns is the convenience they offer. You don’t have to wait a couple of weeks, spend an additional sum on a temporary crown, or make multiple visits to the dentist.

Conclusion

If you’re worried that same day dental crowns aren’t as good because they’re made faster, rest assured—they’re not only just as good but also a more convenient option for modern dental care. The faster process is simply a result of better technology and having everything in-house, making your experience smooth without compromising on quality.

It is always important to keep your oral health in check by maintaining oral hygiene and going for regular dental check-ups. Feel free to reach out to book your dental visit.

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