Same-Day Crowns (CEREC) in Thornton, COA crown in one visit, designed around your tooth.
A traditional crown usually means two visits and a temporary in between. With CEREC, we scan your tooth, design the crown on screen, and mill it in our office, so in the right cases you can leave with a finished, permanent crown the same day.
What it is
CEREC is a chairside design-and-milling system. After we prepare the tooth, our Primescan digital scanner captures it, with no trays of impression material, and software helps design a crown that fits the tooth, your bite, and the neighboring teeth. The crown is then milled from a ceramic block in our office on our CEREC Primemill, fitted, adjusted, and bonded in place.
It’s a tool, not a shortcut. Dr. Prince uses it where a same-visit crown is genuinely the best choice for the tooth. Where a lab-made crown would serve you better, such as some front-tooth cases where layered ceramics matter most, we’ll tell you so and plan accordingly.
Often the right tool for
- Cracked, fractured, or broken teeth
- Large or failing fillings that no longer hold the tooth together
- Teeth weakened by decay
- Teeth restored after root canal treatment
- Worn or aging crowns that need replacing
Begin with a conversation
Photographs, options at more than one scale, and clear fees in writing, all before you decide anything.
Request a ConsultationIn Our Office
See it at work
Is it right for you?
- Patients with a tooth that needs a crown and who would rather not return for a second visit.
- Anyone who dislikes impression trays, temporary crowns, or a second round of numbing.
- Teeth with enough healthy structure to hold a bonded ceramic crown. We confirm this at your exam.
What it does well
- Often one visit from preparation to permanent crown
- No impression trays and no temporary crown to protect or lose
- One round of numbing instead of two
- Digitally designed to fit your tooth and bite
- Metal-free ceramic matched to the shade of your natural teeth
Honest limitations
- Not every tooth is a candidate; some cases are better served by a lab-made crown
- The appointment is longer than a routine filling visit because design and milling happen while you’re here
- Very large rebuilds, complex bite changes, or the most esthetically demanding front teeth may still call for a laboratory ceramist
- Like any crown, it depends on healthy gums, a stable bite, and good home care to last
The Process
What to expect, step by step
Exam & plan
We examine the tooth, take photographs and any imaging needed, and confirm that a same-day crown is the right restoration for it.
Conservative preparation
With the area comfortably numb, we remove decay or damaged structure and shape the tooth, preserving as much healthy enamel as we can.
Scan & design
A Primescan digital scan replaces impressions. We design the crown on screen around your tooth, the neighboring teeth, and the way you bite.
Mill, fit & bond
The crown is milled in our office, then tried in, checked against your bite, polished, and bonded in place. We photograph the result.
The Valley View Approach
Dr. Prince applies the same esthetic standard to a same-day crown as to any other restoration: correct contours, a comfortable bite, and margins designed to disappear. The goal is a crown you stop thinking about.
We’d rather tell you honestly that a tooth needs a different approach than promise a same-day result that wouldn’t last.
- Timeline
- In suitable cases, a same-day crown is completed in a single appointment. It runs longer than a routine filling visit, and we’ll tell you what to expect for your tooth when we plan.
- Caring for it
- Brush and floss as you would around a natural tooth, keep your regular hygiene visits, and mention any grinding. A night guard is often wise to protect any crown.
- Alternatives
- Restorative Dentistry · Fillings, inlays and onlays, and the full range of repairs, including lab-made crowns.Porcelain Veneers · When the issue is the look of the front teeth rather than their strength.Dental Implants · When a tooth can’t be saved and needs to be replaced.
Questions, Answered
The questions we hear most
Related reading in The Smile Edit
Can I really get a crown in one day?
In many cases, yes. If your tooth is a good candidate, we can design, mill, and place a permanent ceramic crown in a single visit. We’ll confirm at your exam whether yours is.
Is a same-day crown as strong as a lab-made crown?
A well-fitted, properly bonded ceramic crown can be a durable restoration. What matters most is the tooth, the bite, and your home care. If a lab-made crown would be the better choice for your tooth, we’ll say so.
Will it match my other teeth?
We select the shade to blend with your natural teeth. For the most visible front teeth, we may recommend a laboratory-made crown for finer control over translucency and character.
Do I still need a temporary crown?
No. Because the permanent crown is made while you’re here, there’s no temporary to wear, protect, or lose.
What if I have a broken tooth or lost crown?
Call us at (303) 254-4484. We’ll see you as soon as we can and tell you whether a same-day crown can restore the tooth.
Ready to explore what’s possible for your smile?
A cosmetic consultation is a conversation, not a commitment: photographs, honest options, and a digital preview of your result before you decide anything.
Serving Thornton, Northglenn, Westminster, Broomfield, Brighton, North Denver & surrounding communities