The idea of having to head to the dentist to get dental work done isn’t pleasant. 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 now offered by a few select 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 can be made from many different types of materials. 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, your tooth and implant are completely covered.

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Dental crowns that are placed over the top of natural teeth can treat a number of conditions. They can be used to:

• 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 dentistry treatment, crowns are used 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, dental crowns must be customized for each patient. 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 area to be treated.

2. Preparing the site. After you are given the anesthetic, the dentist uses equipment to grind and shape the tooth that is to be covered. This ensures that the crown is stabilized and that it will last as long as possible.

3. Making images. After the tooth is ready to be covered, the dentist uses an intra-oral scanning camera to make a digital image of your tooth. The image is 3D 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. If any changes need to be made to the crown, it will be done at this point, but with this 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. This is done by placing very strong dental cement inside of your crown and then pressing it onto your tooth. Any extra cement is scraped away, 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. This can cause wear and tear over the years. However, repairs can be done to your dental crown, if your crown becomes cracked or damaged. In previous years, it would require replacement as a common practice. In some cases, your dental crowns may still need to be completely replaced due to extensive damage.

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 covered as well.

The coverage frequency of a dental crown installment or replacement usually come with restrictions. These include some sort of schedule mandated by the insurance company. Such a restriction is usually implemented once every 5 years. Additionally, they are performed according to the schedule established by the insurance company.

While you can get a crown placed in many dental office practices, not all dentists have the technology that allows them to install them in one day. Our team at Dr. Suffoletta’s Functional Aesthetic Dentistry, is a Las Vegas Dental Office. We specialize in one day dental crowns and has 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.