Same-Day Dental Crowns
One Visit. Permanent Results.
Skip the temporary crown and the second trip. At Osuna Dental Care, your permanent ceramic or zirconia crown is designed, milled, and bonded — all in a single appointment.
What Are Same-Day Dental Crowns?
At Osuna Dental Care, Drs. Kim and Graham offer advanced same-day crowns — also called single-visit or chairside crowns — to restore damaged teeth quickly, comfortably and with a result that looks completely natural.
Same-day crowns are full-coverage restorations that protect and strengthen teeth affected by decay, fractures or excessive wear. Instead of sending impressions to an outside lab and waiting weeks, we use an intraoral scanner to create a precise 3D digital model of your tooth right here in the office.
That digital design is then milled on-site from a high-quality ceramic or zirconia block using state-of-the-art CAD/CAM digital technology — producing a durable, permanent crown that fits beautifully and matches your natural tooth color. The entire process typically takes just 45 to 90 minutes.
No temporary crown. No second appointment. No waiting. Just a fully restored tooth before you leave the chair.
Why Patients Choose Same-Day Crowns
The Benefits of Single-Visit Crown Placement
Fast and Convenient
Complete the entire crown procedure — scan, design, mill and bond — in one appointment. No rescheduling, no multiple visits, no disruption to your week.
No Temporary Crown
Traditional crowns require a temporary restoration for 2–3 weeks while the lab works. Same-day crowns skip that entirely — zero risk of it breaking, shifting or causing discomfort.
Digital Precision
Our intraoral scanner captures your tooth in full 3D — no messy putty impressions. The result is a crown with exceptional fit and natural aesthetics that traditional methods struggle to match.
Durable Materials
Milled from high-strength ceramic or zirconia blocks, same-day crowns are built to last. Zirconia in particular is exceptionally tough — ideal for back teeth under heavy bite pressure.
Comfortable Experience
One preparation appointment means one dose of local anesthetic, one set of digital scans and one shade-matching session. Less chair time overall — and a much simpler experience for you.
Natural-Looking Results
Dr. Kim and Dr. Graham carefully match the crown shade to your surrounding teeth. The finished restoration blends seamlessly — no one will know it's not your original tooth.
What to Expect at Your Same-Day Crown Visit
From the moment you sit down to the moment you leave — here's how the entire process works, start to finish.
Exam & Tooth Prep
We start with a comprehensive exam. The affected tooth is numbed and gently shaped to create the ideal surface for crown placement.
Digital 3D Scan
An intraoral scanner captures a precise 3D model of your tooth — no messy impressions, no discomfort. The scan is complete in minutes.
Design & On-Site Milling
Dr. Kim or Dr. Graham designs your custom crown using CAD/CAM software. It's then milled from a ceramic or zirconia block right here in our office.
Fit Check & Permanent Bond
We verify the fit, bite and color match — then permanently bond the crown. You walk out with a fully restored tooth, same day.
Who Is a Good Candidate for a Same-Day Crown?
Same-day crowns work well for a wide range of situations. If you have a tooth that's damaged, weakened or simply worn down over time, a single-visit crown is often the fastest and most comfortable path to a full recovery.
- Teeth with significant decay or damage that a filling can't fully restore
- Cracked or fractured teeth that need full-coverage protection
- Weakened teeth after a root canal that need a protective cap
- Old, failing or discolored crowns that need to be replaced
- Teeth worn down by grinding or excessive wear
- Patients who prefer to minimize the number of dental appointments
- Anyone who wants a durable, lifelike cosmetic restoration
Not every case is the right fit for a same-day crown — complex restorations sometimes call for lab fabrication. Dr. Kim and Dr. Graham will review your situation and recommend the best approach during your new patient exam.
Same-Day Crown vs. Traditional Crown
Here's a quick side-by-side so you know exactly what to expect.
| Feature | Same-Day Crown | Traditional Crown |
|---|---|---|
| Appointments needed | 1 | 2–3 |
| Turnaround time | 45–90 min | 2–3 weeks |
| Temporary crown | Not needed | Required |
| Impression method | Digital scan | Putty mold |
| Material quality | Ceramic / Zirconia | Ceramic / Zirconia |
| Made in-office? | Yes | Outside lab |
Most major dental insurances are accepted — including Delta Dental, Aetna, MetLife, BCBS and more. Flexible financing through Cherry, CareCredit and Sunbit is also available.
Same-Day Crowns — Common Questions
Most same-day crown appointments at Osuna Dental Care take between 45 and 90 minutes from digital scan to permanent bonding — all completed in a single visit. This includes the exam, tooth preparation, 3D scanning, on-site milling, fit check and final bonding.
Yes. Same-day crowns are milled from the same high-strength ceramic and zirconia materials used in lab-fabricated crowns — and often achieve a more precise fit because of the digital scanning process. Zirconia crowns in particular are among the most durable restorations available in modern dentistry.
No — that's one of the biggest advantages. Because your permanent crown is fabricated and bonded in the same appointment, there's no temporary crown required. You avoid all the risks that come with temporaries: sensitivity, breakage and the discomfort of waiting weeks for your final restoration.
Same-day crowns are ideal for teeth affected by decay, cracks, fractures or heavy wear — as well as patients replacing an old or failing crown, or anyone who needs a crown after a root canal. During your exam, Dr. Kim or Dr. Graham will confirm whether a same-day approach is the right fit for your specific situation.
Same-day crowns are covered by most major dental insurance plans the same way traditional crowns are. Osuna Dental Care accepts Delta Dental, Aetna, MetLife, BCBS, Humana, UHC, United Concordia, Guardian and Medicare dental. Flexible financing through Cherry, CareCredit and Sunbit is also available. Call us at (505) 884-1989 and we'll check your benefits before your appointment.
The procedure is performed under local anesthetic so the preparation itself is comfortable. Because everything is completed in one visit, you only go through the numbing and preparation process once — which many patients find significantly more comfortable than the two-appointment traditional approach. Some mild sensitivity after the anesthetic wears off is normal and typically resolves within a day or two.
Restore Your Tooth in
a Single Appointment
Call us or book online — we'll get you in fast and make the whole process easy.
📍 5900 Cubero Dr NE STE B, Albuquerque, NM 87109