One-Day Single Crowns Using New Dental Innovations

Time is something we are all often running short on. With new technology innovations being used in dental offices today, we can now reduce the number of visits it takes to perform restorative procedures. Traditionally, crown procedures may take multiple visits. This is because the technology was not yet available in dental offices. An image would be taken of your mouth, and then a design would have to be made and sent out to a laboratory to be manufactured. Nowadays, there is a new technology on the market called CAD/CAM.

CAD/CAM Technology

This technology is relatively new in the dental market, first emerging about 20 years ago. CAD/CAM is an acronym that stands for computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing. Not specific to the dentistry field, this technology has been used for decades to produce other goods such as tools and cars.  Since it is used for designing and manufacturing, this technology can use an image to produce a 3D replica of a conventional impression. The next step is to create a design from the captured image and send the design to an office machine for manufacturing – think 3D printer! The last step, of course, is to bond the in-office designed crown to the actual tooth. What makes this method special is that once the image has been scanned, the CAD software can analyze the patient's unique dental morphology and surrounding dentition to produce a perfect fit.

If your dentist has this technology in-house, it dramatically reduces the amount of time spent at the dentist that would normally take at least two visits. This means you have more time to do the things that are important to you. If you are in need of just a single crown restoration, this can be done in a single visit. The technology of CAD/CAM allows for the imaging, designing, and manufacturing to be done in-house.

Crowns can provide a great deal of relief for people who suffer from damaged teeth. Crowns are meant to improve a tooth’s appearance or strengthen it and are available in a variety of colours and materials, making your smile look more natural by blending with the existing colour of your teeth.