Have you recently learned you need a new crown for a tooth? It is a common procedure as teeth in Whitby can become damaged by trauma or have cavities that are too large to be mended with a conventional filling. When teeth are more severely damaged, covering them entirely with a dental crown will protect and preserve the tooth underneath, preventing further infection and decay. Also, the crown restores strength and structure to the tooth, ensuring it looks and feels good and can be used to bite and chew food without discomfort or the risk of the tooth crumbling or fracturing.

Making a Crown Traditionally
Traditionally, crowns take several weeks to make a fit. Initially, your tooth is prepared by your dentist in Oshawa using local anesthetic to ensure you feel comfortable while they remove decayed or damaged portions and reshape the tooth, so it is suitable for a crown. Next, the dentist takes a dental impression, usually using a mouth tray filled with goopy impression material. The tray remains in the mouth for several minutes while the impression material sets, an experience that isn’t entirely comfortable for many people.

Once the impression has set, it is removed and the dentist creates a temporary crown to protect the tooth while the permanent crown is made. It usually takes a couple of weeks to make the permanent crown. While the temporary crown is in place, it’s often necessary to avoid hard or sticky foods that could damage the crown or dislodge it. Once the permanent crown is ready, you return to your dentist when they remove the temporary crown and will fit and permanently cement the new crown in place.

It’s a process that requires at least two visits, and sometimes it’s necessary to have a second dental impression. Tray impressions can often have small discrepancies that interfere with the fabrication of the crown and which are difficult to detect in the treatment room initially. It’s not until the dental impression is cast in dental plaster that the discrepancy becomes entirely clear.

Having a Same-Day Crown
The process of having a same-day crown differs quite a bit. Initially, it is the same as your Ajax dentist will numb the affected tooth, carefully shaping it in preparation for the crown. From then on, the process is different. Instead of having a goopy tray impression, we scan the tooth for a digital dental impression. Here at Margolian Dentistry, we much prefer digital dental impressions for several reasons. Firstly, they are much more comfortable for our patients as it only takes us a few moments to take the scan and the information is immediately viewable on the screen in the treatment room. Because we can see the scan and can magnify specific areas if needed, we can check its quality straightaway. If we need to make any alterations, we can do this while you are still in the dental chair. We use the scan to design your crown, ensuring you receive a new crown that looks wonderfully natural.

Once we are entirely happy with the digital impression, it is sent to the milling machine, a sophisticated piece of technology that will make your crown from a block of pure pre-shaded porcelain. The process is relatively quick, and once the crown is milled, it is carefully finished and polished. It is ready to fit on the same day. A digital scan is extremely accurate, and it helps ensure you receive a high-quality and precision fitting crown. The porcelain used to fabricate the crown is extremely hard wearing and durable and looks fabulous. You don’t need to worry about a temporary crown or a second visit in a couple of weeks.