Your Crown, Start to Finish, in One Visit

A crown is a cap that covers a damaged tooth to restore its shape, strength, and appearance. Crowns are used when a tooth is cracked, heavily worn, badly decayed, or has too little structure left to hold a filling. They are also placed after root canal treatment and used to restore dental implants.

At Arthur & Arthur Dentistry, we make crowns in our own office using an in-house milling machine. You arrive with a damaged tooth and leave the same day with a permanent, custom-fitted crown already cemented in place.

How Same-Day Crowns Are Different

The traditional way of making a crown takes two appointments spread across two to three weeks:

• First visit: The tooth is prepared, an impression is taken, and a temporary crown is placed.
• Two to three weeks of waiting: An outside laboratory makes the crown.
• Second visit: The temporary comes off, you are numbed again, and the permanent crown is cemented.

In between, the temporary crown has to survive everything you eat. Temporaries are held on with soft cement by design, so they can loosen or come off — which usually means an unplanned trip back to the office.

With a same-day crown, all of that disappears. There is no temporary, no waiting period, and no second appointment.

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  Dental Crowns
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  Restoring smiles with beautiful, natural crowns.

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  Dental Crowns
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  Front crowns. A beautiful, natural transformation.

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  Dental Crowns
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  Anterior crowns. A beautiful, natural transformation.

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  Dental Crowns
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  Crowns #6 - 11, canine to canine.

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  Dental Crowns
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  Crowns #7 - 10.

What Your Appointment Looks Like

Plan on roughly two hours from start to finish. Most of that time you are simply sitting comfortably in the chair.

1. Numbing and preparation. We numb the area and shape the tooth so the crown will fit over it properly.
2. Digital scan. Instead of impression putty, we use a small handheld scanner to build a 3D model of your tooth. It takes a few minutes and involves nothing uncomfortable.
3. Design. Your crown is designed on screen, custom-matched to the shape of your bite and the contours of the teeth around it.
4. Milling. Our in-office mill carves the crown from a solid block of zirconia. The milling itself takes only a few minutes. This is usually a good moment to relax, check your phone, or step out for a coffee.
5. Fitting and cementing. We check the fit, adjust the bite, polish the crown, and cement it permanently in place.

You walk out with a finished tooth. No follow-up visit required.

What Your Crown Is Made Of

We mill our same-day crowns from BruxZir® zirconia, a ceramic material chosen for two reasons: it is exceptionally strong, and it looks like a natural tooth. Zirconia stands up well to grinding and heavy chewing forces, which makes it a good choice for back teeth, and it is shaded to blend with the teeth around it. There is no dark metal edge at the gumline, which is what often gives older crowns away.

Is a Same-Day Crown Right for Every Tooth?

Most crowns can be completed in a single visit, but not all of them, and we will tell you honestly which situation you are in before we start.

A tooth may need a different approach if:

• There is infection or nerve damage that needs to be treated first.
• The gum needs time to heal before a final crown can be fitted.
• The case calls for a highly customized cosmetic result in the front of the mouth, where a skilled ceramist layering by hand may produce a better match.
• You are having a bridge made — bridges are generally still fabricated by our laboratory.

In those cases we will explain why, what the timeline looks like, and what to expect at each step.

Caring for Your Crown

A well-made crown that is cared for properly can last many years. Brush twice a day, floss around the crown daily, and keep your regular cleaning appointments so we can check the margins and the surrounding gum. If you grind your teeth at night, a custom nightguard — which we also make in-house — protects both your crown and the rest of your teeth.

Cost and Insurance

Same-day crowns are billed the same as traditional crowns, so there is no added cost for the convenience. We are in-network with Delta Dental, Cigna, United Healthcare, and other plans, and we will verify your benefits and give you a written estimate before treatment begins.

If you do not have dental insurance, our Arthur Dental Club membership includes a 15% discount on treatment.

Common Questions

Does It Hurt?

The tooth is numbed exactly as it would be for a filling. Most patients feel pressure but no pain. Because there is no second appointment, you only get numb once.

How Long Does the Appointment Take?

Usually about two hours, including the time the crown is being milled.

Can I Eat Afterward?

Yes. The crown is permanently cemented before you leave, so once the numbness wears off you can eat normally. There are no restrictions like there are with a temporary crown.

Will It Match My Other Teeth?

We select the shade before milling and adjust the polish and glaze afterward so the crown blends with the teeth around it.

Do You Take My Insurance?

We are in-network with Delta Dental, Cigna, United Healthcare, and other carriers. Call our office at (336) 882-4181 and we will check your specific plan.

Schedule Your Crown Appointment

If you have a cracked, worn, or broken tooth, or you have been told you need a crown, we would be glad to take a look. Call Arthur & Arthur Dentistry at (336) 882-4181 or request an appointment online. We are located at 710 N Elm St.
High Point, NC 27262 and are accepting new patients.