Many patients state that their single largest concern with going to the dentist is the placement of crowns. Part of this concern has been linked to the number of times that you must visit a dentist’s office as well as the overall time that you are required to be in the dental chair. While this can be an uncomfortable and time-consuming process, there is now an easier way to reclaim your dental health.

Single-visit crowns are an efficient way to get the crowns that you need and it’s easier to schedule a single appointment and receive the same quality of dental work than you previously expected.

Crowns 101

A dental crown is a restorative process in which a tooth or tooth implant is completely covered or capped by a special material that looks like your natural tooth.

This helps to protect the underlying tooth and provide a chewing surface that functions as a normal tooth.

Crowns are also aesthetically pleasing since patients generally don’t tend to notice a difference between their crown and their natural tooth.

While crowns used to require multiple visits to the dentist to ensure proper placement, new technology has allowed for crowns to be fitted in a single visit.

When a Crown is Needed

While your dentist will let you know the specifics of needing a crown, there are some general conditions in which a crown might be the best option which are:

Missing or misshapen teeth
Discolored teeth
A tooth that has had a root canal
Large broken fillings
Chipped, cracked or broken teeth
Decayed teeth

If you have any of these conditions, you may want to speak with your dentist to see if crowns are a good option for you. If they are, you should then inquire about the process of installing the crown in order to find out if your dentist has the appropriate skills and technology to complete a single-visit crown.

Advantages of Single-visit Crowns

Traditionally, crowns take a minimum of two appointments to complete. Some patients have even required more than those two visits.

Single-visit crowns save time by allowing your dentist to complete the entire process in a single visit with no subsequent appointments.

This also reduces the time it requires for you to travel to the office, schedule appointments, and reduces the potential for additional recovery time.

Single-visit crowns are designed, milled, and installed on the same day which allows your dentist to work through the process quickly and efficiently.

Completing this process in a single day also reduces the time and cost associated with shipping a crown to another location to be milled by a third party.

Single-visit Crown Maintenance

Research has found that the single most important factor in maintaining your dental crown or crowns is through proper oral care and routine maintenance.

This includes regular brushing, flossing, and routine dental appointments. This routine care can help to eliminate any issues from coming up later, and your regular dental appointments can help identify problems when they are easier to correct.

If you do happen to notice any issues with your crown, it is important to schedule an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible.

Overview

The cumbersome process of receiving a crown has now been reduced to just a single office visit. Single-visit crowns are possible because of advances in technology and the availability of tools at your dentist’s local office. Being able to fit and construct a crown in a single visit offers great benefits to the patient and the establishment. If you are considering a crown, contact your dentist today to review your options.