Crowns or caps are used to cover teeth that have been damaged by injury or decay, chipped, or discolored. They can last from five years to over a decade, depending on the material used and how you care for your teeth.

First a determination is made about the material that will be used to make the crown. If the crown is to be tooth-colored, a shade is chosen that matches your existing teeth. After numbing your tooth, we then remove any decay from your tooth and shape it into a base for the crown. If there is not enough of your natural tooth left to support a crown, we will insert pins or a post and core in order to give structure underneath the crown.

We then take an impression of the shaped tooth so that the crown will fit exactly onto its base. A temporary crown is then made and placed over the shaped tooth. The next visit involves seating the crown. The temporary crown is removed and the new crown is placed on the shaped tooth. After checking the fit and the occlusion (or bite) once you and Dr. Kvitko are both satisfied with the fit, color and shape of your new crown, it is cemented permanently to your tooth. Crowns can sometimes take time to get used to. Often people experience a sensitivity to hot and cold for a period of time. This goes away gradually until soon your tooth feels almost better than it did before becoming decayed or infected.

Same Day Crowns

At Dr. Kvitko & Associates, our state-of-the-art imaging and on-site technology allow us to create your custom crown in a single office visit. No more temporary crowns followed by additional office visits for permanent crowns.

We use CAD/CAM (Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing) technology that houses a camera, computer and milling machine in one instrument. Digital imaging captures a picture of the damaged tooth and eliminates the need for uncomfortable alginate impressions.

The optical “impression” is transferred and displayed on a color computer screen, where Dr. Kvitko uses 3D technology to design your new crown. Then, CAM takes over and creates the crown while you wait. He then bonds the crown to the surface of the old tooth, and you’re ready to go.