Want Dental Implants? Consider Same-Day Crowns Afterward

If you are considering replacing your teeth, you may be exploring all sorts of options—like bridges, dentures, and implants. Implants are one of the best routes because they are permanently inserted into the jawbone. There are different components of an implant: the implant fixture, the abutment, and the crown. The fixture is below the jawline; the abutment is a metal piece that sits near the gum-line; and, the crown is the false tooth that sits atop the abutment. Some people have to go through multiple appointments to wait for their permanent crown. However, you could get a same-day crown.

What Are Same-Day Crowns?

Like the name suggests, same-day crowns are permanent crowns that you get the same day of your implant surgery. In the past, dentists used to have to place a temporary crown before a permanent one. A temporary crown protects the implant site and prevents sensitivity in the meantime.

However, there are some downsides to temporary crowns. They are made in a laboratory away from the dental office, so you may not have a perfectly fitted crown. This imperfect fit can make you extra sensitive and increase the risk of gum recession. If the temporary crown isn't perfectly fitted, it can leave your wound site exposed to infection.

Some people also don't like that they have to undergo multiple appointments with temporaries. If a dental lab is quite busy, it could take months before your order is completed. One appointment is needed to take an impression and another appointment is needed to place a permanent crown. And if you have a bad gag reflex, it can be hard to take impressions for the temporaries.

How Are Same-Day Crowns Made?

Many cosmetic dentistry offices have computer-aided design/manufacturing (CAD/CAM) devices that can make crowns. Instead of having to send impressions off to a dental laboratory for hand-made crowns, these CAD/CAM devices can construct a crown in about half an hour.

The great thing about same-day crowns is that you don't have to take impressions for them. Your dentist will use an imaging device to scan your oral cavity. These images are plugged into the CAD/CAM machine. While many dental laboratories do great work on prostheses, the great benefit of an in-office CAD/CAM device is that the crown will be carved to a near-perfect fit since it's done with computerized specifications. Once the tooth is carved by the machine, it will painted and polished by it as well.

Your dentist will place the crown in your mouth and have you bite down to see if any adjustments need to be made. After the crown is adjusted, you can go home and not have to worry about replacing a temporary!

Contact a cosmetic dentist in your area or go to website to learn about same-day crowns and other restorative procedures.