4 Differences in Same Day Crowns Compared to Lab Built Crowns

Dental crowns are solutions for teeth that are discolored, broken, chipped or too crowded or gapped. However, installing and implanting dental crowns requires a commitment of time on the part of the patient and the dentist. This is especially true if the artificial crowns need to be made in a distant lab using impressions the dentist has made of the patients mouth. Before the crowns are ready, the dentist will need to fit the patient with a temporary crown which will have nothing like the natural look and feel of the permanent crown. It may take a couple of weeks before lab made dental crowns are ready. The upside is lab made crowns can be made to match the patients remaining teeth with great accuracy. Theyre the same size, shape and color as the natural teeth and often are indistinguishable from them to a layman. The lab made crown may also be easier for the dentist to fit.

Now, both patients and our cosmetic dentists in our Blakeney dental office understand all the benefits of same day crowns. There are at least four differences between same day crowns and lab built crowns.

1. The obvious difference is that the same day crown is installed on the same day. The crown takes about three hours to make. Though this is a wait, its not the same as waiting two weeks for a dental crown.

2. The quality of same day crowns can vary depending on the level of technology and skill in the doctor's office. Local cosmetic dentists might not have the sort of technology or expertise on site to make a crown thats as esthetically pleasing as one made with care in an offsite lab.

3. The dentist may have a harder time adjusting the same day crown for a perfect fit.

4. However, the same day crown is convenient and can work well for a patient who's having a dental crown placed on a molar, which is seldom seen. Lab built crowns are generally better for front teeth.

Clearly, the benefits of same day crowns are limited, but they do exist. A patient will need to consult with his or her dentist to decide on whether a lab built or a same day crown is the right option for him or her.