Do you have a tooth that is in need of cosmetic help, either due to being broken or decayed? If so, you'll likely need a crown to fix it. The problem is that crowns can take quite a while to manufacture and install, and you may be on a short deadline to fix your smile. Thankfully, some cosmetic dentists offer same-day crown procedures. Here is what you need to know about this type of dental crown.

Same-Day Crowns Are Made Significantly Faster

The traditional method of having a dental crown put on a tooth requires two visits at a minimum. One visit is used to take an impression of your teeth, prepare the tooth, and fit a temporary crown on it. Then, there will be some wait time while a lab manufactures the permanent crown, and you will then have to make a return visit for your dentist to install it. If anything is wrong with the crown, you'll need to return again so that adjustments can be made to the crown itself by the lab.

A same-day crown can only take one or two hours for the whole process to be complete. It's done by using a small camera to take a 3D model of your teeth. A special milling machine is then used to make the crown out of a solid block of ceramic, which fits the exact space where the crown needs to go into.

Same-Day Crowns Will Fit Better

The process of making a same-day crown actually reduces the chance of a human error, which ensures the crown is made correctly. It's rare for a dentist to make adjustments to a same-day crown because the 3D modeling process is incredibly accurate. If you are replacing an existing tooth that has decay, a 3D model of the bad tooth can be made so that the crown has the exact same shape and contours as the original tooth.

Having a crown that is an exact replica of the old tooth will also help improve your speech with the crown in place. You may not think of it, but a tooth that is a different shape than the one you are used to can actually throw off your speech pattern. While you will eventually adjust to any changes in the shape of a traditional crown, it is something that you simply do not have to worry about as much when you use a same-day crown that has been generated from a 3D model. 

For more information about same-day crowns and cosmetic dentistry, contact a local dental office.