How Much Do Same Day Crowns (CEREC) Cost in NYC?

If you need a crown in New York City, there’s no better option than CEREC. You lead a busy life—and we’re willing to bet you don’t want to have to make multiple trips to the dentist and wait weeks while your crown is being fabricated. With CEREC, your tooth is prepared and the crown is placed on the same day. When it comes to convenience and quality, there’s simply no better option, which is why we’ve chosen to provide CEREC at DDS Group.

Once you’ve decided on a same day crown, you’re probably wondering: what does a same day crown in NYC cost? Same day crowns are typically either less expensive than or cost the same as traditional crowns. In NYC, you can expect to pay $1400 - $1500 for same day crowns. Every patient is different, though, and you’ll also have to keep in mind that the cost of a same day crown includes the time spent preparing the damaged tooth in order to receive the crown too.

While the form and function of same day crowns is the same as with traditional crowns, the similarities end there. Here’s what you need to know about traditional crowns vs. same day crowns.

First, let’s discuss dental crowns. A crown is a restorative dental treatment that restores the strength, health, function, and sometimes appearance of a compromised tooth. When a tooth has decayed to the point where a filling, inlay, or onlay is not enough to repair it, a dental crown is used. Dental crowns are also used to repair teeth that have sustained other types of damage like breakage and cracks, as part of a single tooth dental implant, and to hold dental bridges in place.

Some crowns are meant to restore the appearance of the damaged tooth and are made with tooth-colored porcelain or ceramic material. Other crowns are designed to restore the function and strength of the tooth only—these are made with gold or metal alloys. This type of crown is often used in molars near the back of the mouth or for patients who grind their teeth and need a strong restoration as a result.

Dental crowns are sometimes known as caps because they function as covers for a compromised tooth. In order to place a crown, the damaged or decayed tooth structure is first removed. Then, impressions are taken so a crown can be fabricated to fit securely onto the prepared tooth and completely cover the remaining tooth structure. Once the crown has been fabricated, it is cemented or bonded to the prepared tooth.

You may be wondering: why go through all that work of getting a crown when the damaged tooth could simply be extracted instead? Many patients who have a damaged tooth that is not visible when they smile consider extraction as an alternative to a crown. While it’s true that a simple tooth extraction costs less than a crown, in the long term, that extraction often ends up costing you much more, both financially and in your overall oral health. If you don’t replace the extracted tooth, it can make biting and chewing difficult. It may compromise the integrity of your remaining teeth as they drift into the newly opened space. Finally, when a tooth is missing, the body begins the process of resorption, or breaking down the bone structure that once held the tooth in place in order to transport its minerals to other parts of the body where they are needed. When jaw bone is broken down, it can cause adjacent teeth to become loose or even fall out, it weakens your bite, and it can even cause dramatic changes to facial structures in a process called facial collapse.

When you get a traditional crown, there’s a long wait between the time that your tooth is prepared for the crown and the time that the crown is actually placed on your tooth. The wait is usually about two or three weeks, but it could be more or less depending on the dental laboratory being used. Two weeks may not seem like a long time, but it is when you’re waiting for a dental crown.

You’ll be given a temporary crown while you wait for the permanent one to be ready. In addition to the fact that you have to pay for this temporary restoration, the other major drawback is that temporary crowns rarely fit well, so you’ll need to eat a soft food diet while wearing it and take special care to make sure it doesn’t fall off. If it comes off when you’re eating, for example, you might end up chewing on it and breaking another molar in the process. Temporary crowns also leave the prepared tooth susceptible to damage and decay.

Same day crowns eliminate the need for temporary crowns and for two separate trips to the dentist, one to prepare the tooth and one to place the permanent crown. Instead, everything is done in a single day and there’s no temporary crown because your permanent restoration is ready in about an hour. Taking out that two to three week wait time isn’t just about convenience—skipping the temporary crown eliminates a lot of discomfort and hassle, along with the risk of decay or damage.

If you’re wondering where the catch is, it’s this: same day crowns are not for everyone. If a tooth has sustained damage below the gum line, a traditional crown is usually needed because the camera used to capture images of the tooth in order to mill the restoration cannot view under the gums. Additionally, the ceramic material used to mill same day crowns is not as strong as gold or metal alloys, which may be an issue for molars, particularly with patients who grind their teeth or clench their jaws. That said, same day crowns are aesthetic, high quality, comfortable, and strong enough for most patients. When cared for properly, they can be expected to last a minimum of 10 to 15 years.

Just like with a traditional crown, your tooth will be prepared, removing all areas of decay and damage and leaving the healthy structure intact. Next, an intraoral camera is used to take digital impressions. Instead of having to sit in the dentist’s chair with uncomfortable, messy impression material, your digital impressions will be done in a matter of seconds. These impressions are sent to our computer, allowing us to view a 3D image of your tooth that is much more precise than traditional dental impressions.

With the image of your tooth, we use computer-aided design (CAD) to create a model of your crown. Then, a milling machine fabricates your crown from a solid piece of tooth-colored ceramic material. This process usually takes under an hour to complete.

Once the crown has been milled, it will be cemented or bonded to the prepared tooth. We use a special ultraviolet light to cure the bonding material and then once curing is complete, you’ll be able to leave our office and go back to your normal routine. There is no downtime for same day crowns, so the only time you’ll need off of work or school is the time needed for your appointment.

When searching for a dentist to provide same day crowns in NYC, it’s important to do a little bit of legwork first. Not all dentists provide same day crowns; furthermore, because the dentist will be using CAD software to custom design a crown for you, it’s important that they are skilled in the process and have extensive experience with the system they use. Many dentists have before and after photos of their patients, so if you’d like to see their work or if you just want a better idea of what a same day crown looks like, don’t hesitate to ask to see them.

When you choose DDS Group, you can feel confident knowing that our team is second to none. DDS Group’s dentists have special training in creating same day crowns that restore function and appearance to damaged teeth. Because our practice has both cosmetic and general dentists all under one roof, you benefit from the knowledge of both; when it comes to dental crowns, this means that you’ll leave our office with a smile that looks fantastic and allows you to bite, chew, and speak just as you did before getting your restoration.

Are you thinking about getting a same day crown? Would you like to talk to a dentist to learn more about your options? Contact us at 212-269-6655 to schedule an appointment for a consultation. Our office is conveniently located in the heart of the financial district in New York City.