What You Can Expect When Getting Your Crown
Depending on whether or not your dental professional has CAD/CAM (computer-aided drafting/computer-aided manufacturing) technology in their office, you can get your crown in either one or two appointments.
In either case, your dentist will file or fill your tooth to prepare it for crown placement, then take an impression of your mouth to determine the shape of your cap. In the past, impressions were made from a gooey substance in a mouthguard that you would bite down on until it dried. Now, most dental professionals use an intraoral scanner to create a quick, clean digital rendering of your mouth.
If your dental professional has CAD/CAM capabilities in their office, they will make your crown right then and there and place your crown on your tooth the same day. Otherwise, your dental professional will place a temporary cap on your tooth, send the impression to a dental lab, and have you return for a second appointment. Your temporary cap will be removed at that time, and the permanent crown will be placed on your tooth.