You may be surprised to discover that when it comes to crowding teeth, the beginning of the process starts exactly the same for both traditional crowns and same-day crowns. The first step is that the dentist must carefully prepare the tooth. This is accomplished by gently taking out any present decay, plaque, or tartar. Once the tooth has been expertly cleaned, it is carefully shaped with a dental drill to fit neatly right inside the crown.

At this moment, however, the procedures diverge. A traditional crown would require the dentist to make a mold out of putty. This impression would be sent off to a lab to make your crown, a process which could take several weeks. The same-day process is dramatically different, however, since your teeth are lightly dusted with a special powder that is reflective. The dentist uses a small but highly powerful scanning wand that allows him to get intricate, detailed images of all your teeth. Then, in a matter of a few minutes, your perfectly accurate 3D representation of your teeth will be molded from naturally colored ceramic. With the aid of such advanced software, the only thing that’s left to do is simply fit the crowns into your mouth.