A crown used to mean two appointments, two weeks apart, and a temporary in between that you were told not to chew on. A lot of patients still expect that, which is why the first question we get about same-day crowns is not “how does it work” but “is it really as good?”
Fair question. Here is how a same-day dental crown is made, where it is as good or better than a lab crown, and the cases where we still send work to the lab.
How a traditional crown is made
For a lab crown, the tooth is shaped, an impression is taken, and a temporary crown is cemented while the impression goes to a dental lab. A technician builds the crown, ships it back, and you return to have the temporary removed and the final crown fitted and cemented. Two visits, usually two to three weeks apart.
The temporary is the weak link. It is made of acrylic, held in with weak cement on purpose, and it comes off more often than anyone would like. Some patients spend those two weeks avoiding one side of their mouth.
How a same-day crown is made
Same-day crowns use a system called CEREC, which stands for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics. The name is a mouthful; the process is not.
- Prepare the tooth. Old filling or decay is removed and the tooth is shaped, exactly as it would be for a lab crown.
- Scan. Instead of an impression tray, we take a digital impression with an intraoral scanner. This takes about two minutes and involves nothing in your mouth but a small camera.
- Design. The crown is designed on screen from the scan. The software proposes a shape based on the neighbouring teeth, and your dentist refines the fit, the bite, and the contact points.
- Mill. The design is sent to a milling unit in the clinic, which carves the crown from a solid block of ceramic. This takes roughly 10 to 20 minutes.
- Finish and place. The crown is stained, glazed, and fired for strength and colour, then tried in, adjusted, and bonded.
You walk in with a broken tooth and out with a finished crown in one appointment, typically about two hours. No temporary, no second visit, no round trip to Beausejour on a work day. Full details are on our CEREC and single day crowns page.
Is it as strong as a lab crown?
For the large majority of single crowns, yes. CEREC crowns are milled from the same categories of ceramic that labs use, including lithium disilicate and zirconia-reinforced materials. Published follow-up studies on chairside ceramic crowns show survival rates comparable to lab-made crowns over ten years and more.
The fit is often better than a lab crown, for a simple reason covered in the digital impressions post: the crown is designed directly from the scan of your tooth, rather than from a physical impression that has been poured, trimmed, and shipped. Fewer steps means fewer places for error.
Where a lab crown is still the right call
We want to be straight about the limits, because a same-day crown is not the answer to every case.
- Front teeth with demanding esthetics. A skilled lab technician layering porcelain by hand can match subtle colour gradients in a way a milled block cannot always reproduce. For a single upper front tooth in a patient with a very visible smile, we sometimes recommend the lab.
- Long bridges. Multi-unit bridges spanning several missing teeth are usually lab work.
- Certain implant crowns. Some implant components are best handled through the lab workflow.
- Metal crowns. If a case calls for gold, that is a lab crown.
Your dentist will tell you which category your tooth falls into. Most molars and premolars, and many front teeth, are excellent candidates for same-day.
What it costs
Crown fees in Manitoba are set against the Manitoba Dental Association fee guide, and a same-day crown is billed under the same crown codes as a lab crown. It is not a premium service with a premium price. If your plan covers crowns, it covers this one. We give you a written estimate before we begin, and we can submit a predetermination to your insurer if you want confirmation of coverage first.
After a root canal
Crowns are frequently placed after root canal treatment, because a tooth that has had its nerve removed becomes brittle. A same-day crown means the tooth is protected the same day rather than sitting in a temporary for weeks, which reduces the chance of a fracture in the gap.
Crown, or something smaller?
Not every damaged tooth needs a crown. A small chip or worn edge may be better served by dental bonding, which is faster, cheaper, and removes no additional tooth structure. A crown is the right choice when a large filling has failed, a tooth has cracked, or too little tooth remains to hold anything smaller. We will show you the tooth on the screen and explain why we are recommending one over the other.
Taking care of it
A ceramic crown does not decay, but the tooth underneath it can, right at the edge where crown meets tooth. Brush and floss around it like any other tooth, and keep up your regular cleanings and check-ups so we can check the margins. The Canadian Dental Association recommends the same home care for crowned teeth as for natural ones.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a same day dental crown appointment take? Plan for about two hours, though many appointments finish sooner. That includes preparing the tooth, scanning, designing, milling, glazing, and bonding the finished crown. You leave with the permanent crown in place.
Do same day crowns last as long as lab crowns? Yes, for most single crowns. CEREC crowns are milled from the same ceramics labs use, and long-term studies show comparable survival rates. Like any crown, lifespan depends on bite forces, grinding, and how well the margin is kept clean.
Does insurance cover a CEREC crown? A same-day crown is billed under the same crown codes as a lab-made crown, so if your plan covers crowns it covers this. We provide an estimate before treatment and can send a predetermination to your insurer.
Fix it in one visit
If you have a cracked tooth, a failing filling, or a temporary that keeps coming off, a same-day crown may be the answer. Call 204-268-1782 or book online and ask for a CEREC consultation.
