CEREC® Same-Day Crowns
In a town as active as Longmont, nobody has time for two-week wait times and “temporary” crowns that pop off while you’re hiking at McIntosh Lake or coaching on the soccer field. Dr. Todd Roby has eliminated the middleman. By bringing a world-class dental laboratory directly into our Longmont office, we deliver permanent, high-strength porcelain restorations in a single appointment.
Whether you need to repair a broken tooth or replace an old, failing metal filling, our CEREC® technology ensures you don’t have to put your life on hold. You arrive with a problem and leave with a permanent, beautiful solution—no second appointment required.
Visualizing Your Restoration in 3D
We believe in “Visual Transparency.” Before we even begin the milling process, we use our intraoral scanner to create a 3D digital map of your mouth. We project this “digital twin” of your tooth onto our treatment room screens, allowing Dr. Roby to show you exactly where the fracture lies and how your new crown will be engineered to protect it.
This process isn’t just high-tech; it’s high-comfort. We’ve replaced the “goopy” impression trays of the past with digital precision. There is no gagging on putty and no messy cleanup. And, as with every procedure in our office, your comfort is anchored by the small things, like our warm-water rinses, which make the preparation phase much gentler on sensitive teeth.
The CEREC® Workflow: How It Works
While traditional crowns require a dental lab located miles away, our in-house system allows Dr. Roby to personally oversee every step of your restoration’s creation.
- Digital Impressions: Our pen-shaped intraoral camera captures thousands of data points to create a precise 3D model of your tooth.
- Chairside Design: Dr. Roby personally designs your crown right in front of you. He uses his IPSO-trained eye to ensure proper occlusion, ensuring the new crown matches your natural bite perfectly.
- In-House Milling: While you wait, our high-precision milling unit carves your crown from a solid block of medical-grade, biocompatible ceramic.
- Bonding & Finishing: The crown is polished, color-matched to your surrounding teeth, and permanently bonded. You leave our office with your final, permanent crown.
Why “Same-Day” Means Better Clinical Care
Efficiency is a great benefit, but the clinical advantages of CEREC® are even more important for your long-term health.
- Protecting the Tooth: Because the “prep” and the “bond” happen in the same hour, the underlying tooth is less exposed to bacteria and temperature fluctuations. This significantly reduces post-operative sensitivity.
- Biocompatibility: We use metal-free, high-strength porcelain that mimics the natural expansion and contraction of your own enamel. This prevents the microscopic cracks that often form around old-fashioned metal restorations.
- The 5280 Standard: The team utilizes CEREC technology not just for speed, but for the unmatched “marginal fit” that only digital dentistry can provide. A better fit means a longer-lasting restoration.
High-Tech Care with a Hometown Feel
Dr. Roby is a Longmont native who believes that our neighbors deserve the best technology available in modern dentistry. We’ve combined the efficiency of a world-class lab with the personal care you’d expect from a local youth coach and friend. You’re not just getting a crown; you’re getting a restoration designed by a doctor who cares about your comfort and your time.
Frequently Asked Questions About Same-Day Crowns
Is a CEREC crown as strong as a traditional lab-made crown? Absolutely. In fact, because CEREC crowns are milled from a single, solid block of high-quality ceramic, they are incredibly resistant to chips and cracks. When combined with Dr. Roby’s IPSO-informed bite alignment, these restorations are designed to withstand the forces of daily life for years to come.
Does it cost more to have a crown done in one day? Most patients find that CEREC is actually more cost-effective. While the technology is advanced, you save money by eliminating the need for a second appointment, additional numbing, and the cost of wearing (and potentially replacing) a temporary crown.
What if I need a bridge instead of a single crown? We use the same digital precision for bridges. While some complex bridges may still require lab involvement, our digital scanning technology still eliminates the need for messy impressions, making the process much more comfortable from start to finish.
How long does the appointment actually take? Most CEREC appointments are completed in about two hours. While the crown is being milled and polished, you can relax in our comfortable treatment rooms. By the time you’re ready to head back to work or pick up the kids from school, your permanent restoration is already in place.
