The idea of having to head to the dentist to get dental work isn’t a pleasant one. However, with the latest technology in restorative dentistry, having dental work performed is faster and less painful than ever. Same day dental services are some of the newest innovations currently in application by a few select Summerlin and Las Vegas crown dentists. Below we learn more about traditional crowns, temporary crowns, innovative upgrades and how they could simplify treatment for you. We also highlight how the launch of the CEREC milling machine drastically improved the dental industry.

A dental crown is a cap that is put over the top of your natural tooth or over your dental implants. When crowns are used with implants, they are referred to as crown implants. Crowns come in many different types of materials. Consequently, some of these are stainless steel crown, metal alloy crown, porcelain crown and ceramic crown materials that look and feel like natural teeth. Once the dentist finishes placing your crown, you can usually go back to eating freely as soon as you exit the dental practice.

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Dental crowns over the top of natural teeth can treat a number of conditions. Some of the following may help to paint a better picture:

• Keep a severely cracked tooth covered, so that it does not break further
• Protect a decayed tooth that has been extensively drilled
• Cover a tooth that has been worn down by grinding
• Conceal a chipped, broken or deformed tooth
• Provide an anchor for a bridge
• Hide teeth that are badly discolored

Crowns are used to replace a tooth that has been lost due to disease, infection or an accident. These crowns keep you from having a gap or hole in your smile.

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Dentist try their best to keep natural teeth in place, as pulling teeth can lead to jaw problems. Dental crowns make it possible to keep a natural tooth in place that would otherwise be lost or severely damaged. The crown enables the patient to chew properly and provides protection for their tooth underneath. As a cosmetic dental treatment, a crown is implemented to cover teeth that cannot be whitened, fixed with inlays or onlays, or simply covered with veneers.

Adults have a total of 32 teeth with wisdom teeth included, no two people’s teeth are exactly identical. As a result, your dentist will customize dental crowns based on patient needs. Traditionally, this meant that it took at least two visits to the dentist to install a crown: the first appointment to size the crown and the second visit to place it.

One day crowns are an efficient way to get rid of the need for a second visit. With this innovation in restorative dentistry, our Las Vegas crown dental team can use a state-of-the-art computer-controlled milling system to make the crown right onsite. Patients can now have their smiles restored in one day; eliminating the need for a second appointment.

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The steps for a one-day dental crown placement are the following:

1. Administering anesthetic. To ensure that you’re comfortable throughout the dental crown process, the dentist administers a shot of anesthetic into the treatment area.

2. Preparing the site. After applying anesthesia, the dentist will use equipment to grind and shape the tooth in preparation. This ensures that the crown will have stability. Thus, increasing the integrity between the crown and the bonding agent.

3. Making images. After the tooth is ready for crown placement, the dentist will use an intra-oral scanning camera to make a digital image of your tooth. Consequently, providing 3D images and an exact reproduction of every intricate detail of your tooth.

4. Producing the crown. Using specialized software, the dentist imports the images taken by the intra-oral scanning into a milling machine. The machine then processes the details of the image to grind a piece of porcelain into the customized shape needed to precisely cover the tooth. Normally, the entire process takes around 30 minutes.

5. Placing the crown. Next, the dentist will install your new dental crown over top of the tooth and then carefully examine it to ensure that it fits correctly and that it looks natural. At this stage, the dentist can apply changes to the crown, before the crown placement. However, with highly sophisticated milling process, crowns are often correct the first time.

6. Bonding the crown. The final step in the process is bonding the crown to your natural tooth. Your dentist begins by placing a very strong dental cement inside of your crown and pressing it onto your tooth. They then discard any excess cement, and the process is complete.

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Your crowns are not permanent and as such, they do have a shelf life. Most dental crowns will last for up to 10 years. Though some crown implants can last up to 15 years. Traditionally however, the ideal minimum time frame that your crown can last is around ten years.

Your crowns will be exposed to friction and pressure when you chew. As a result, this can cause wear and tear over the years. However, treatment methods and repairs of your dental crown are available, if your crown becomes cracked or damaged. In previous years, it would require replacement as a common practice. In some cases, your dental crown can still require a full replacement if the damage is extensive.

Dental insurance differs depending on your policy. However, many plans provide partial reimbursement for the cost of dental crowns. Some will even cover the full cost of repairing your dental crown. With policies that cover initial dental crowns, replacements are usually a part of the coverage as well.

The coverage frequency of a dental crown installment or replacement usually come with restrictions. As a result, some restrictions include a sort of schedule mandated by the insurance company. Thus, such a restriction can be a possibility, as an example, roughly once every 5 years. Additionally, they may be applicable according to the schedule established by the insurance company.

While you can get a same-day crown in many dental office practices, not all dentists have the technology that allows them to install them on the same day. However, our team at Dr. Suffoletta’s Functional Aesthetic Dentistry, is a Summerlin and Las Vegas Dental Office. We specialize in same-day dental crowns and have the state-of-the-art equipment and expertise needed to provide you with fine quality same day crowns.

To find out if you are a good candidate, call our Las Vegas dental office in Summerlin to schedule a consultation with Dr. Suffoletta at 702-671-0001.