Same-Day vs. Traditional Dental Crowns: What Actually Matters
Willmar, Minn. – September 24, 2026 -- Patients choosing between same-day dental crowns and traditional lab-made crowns should weigh more than appointment speed, according to a new HelloNation article featuring Dr. Scott Martinka of Lakes Area Dental in Willmar, Minnesota.
Digital scanning lets dentists mill crowns in a single office visit.
Same-day restorations rely on digital scanning to capture details of a prepared tooth and surrounding teeth. That data is used to design a crown that in-office milling equipment can produce, often eliminating the need for a temporary crown while a permanent one is made.
Traditional crowns still require a dental laboratory and a second visit.
With the conventional process, tooth and bite information is sent to a lab where a technician fabricates the restoration. Because that takes additional time, patients typically wear a temporary crown before returning for the permanent one.