Same day CEREC crowns turn what used to be a multi-week process into a single appointment.

For patients who chip a tooth before a wedding or simply prefer not to wear a temporary for two weeks, single-visit CEREC technology has changed what’s realistic at the dentist: the crown is designed digitally, milled chairside from a ceramic block, and bonded in one appointment.

This guide explains what same day crowns are, how the procedure works, how they compare to lab-made crowns, longevity data, UK costs, and what to expect at an appointment in Kensington and Knightsbridge.

What Is a Same Day CEREC Crown?

A same day CEREC crown is a single-visit ceramic crown designed and milled in-practice using CEREC chairside CAD/CAM technology (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics, developed by Sirona). It is usually milled from lithium disilicate glass-ceramic, with zirconia-reinforced options for heavy bite loads or grinding.

The block is scanned, designed on screen, and milled into the final crown in roughly 10 to 20 minutes, then polished or glazed and bonded onto the tooth, all in one appointment of two to three hours that skips the temporary-crown phase and lab transit entirely.

How Does the CEREC Same Day Crown Procedure Work?

The same day crowns procedure has four stages. First, the dentist removes decay and prepares the tooth under local anaesthetic, as for a traditional crown. Second, a digital scanner captures the prepared tooth and bite, replacing the silicone impression. Third, the crown is designed on screen in the CEREC software, refined for occlusion and contact points. Fourth, the milling unit cuts a ceramic block into the final crown in 10 to 20 minutes; it is then polished or glazed and bonded with resin cement before the bite is checked.

Helpful Tip: Ask whether your crown will be polished or glazed: polished is smoother, glazed is glossier and slightly more wear-resistant. Both are clinically successful.

Same Day Crowns vs Traditional Lab-Made Crowns

Both reach the same result (a ceramic restoration bonded to a prepared tooth), but the workflow differs markedly. Traditional crowns require two appointments two to three weeks apart: the first preps the tooth and takes an impression while a temporary is worn; the second fits the permanent crown back from the lab. Same day crowns complete in one appointment: the scanner replaces the impression, the milling unit the lab, and a bonded ceramic crown the temporary phase.

The choice depends on the case: a single posterior crown is an ideal CEREC case, while a front incisor alongside veneers is often sent to a lab for hand-layered characterisation. For most single crowns, the outcome is equivalent.

How Long Do Same Day Crowns Last?

Long-term clinical data supports good longevity, comparable to traditional lab-made ceramic crowns. A 10-year prospective study of 308 CEREC restorations reported 94.7% survival at five years and 85.7% at 10 years, with restoration fracture the primary failure mode. The chairside workflow does not compromise the outcome; the differentiator is efficiency.

Maintenance matches any ceramic crown: twice-daily fluoride brushing, daily flossing, and regular general dentistry care. Night-time grinders benefit from a custom night guard to cut fracture risk.

Helpful Tip: Keep your routine check-ups on schedule after a same day crown. The dentist reviews the crown margin and adjacent teeth at each visit, catching any issue long before it threatens the restoration.

Same Day CEREC Crowns at TKC Dental in Kensington & Knightsbridge

Our clinics in Knightsbridge and Kensington are conveniently located just 2 miles from the world-renowned Harley Street, delivering same day CEREC Sirona crowns in a single appointment using lithium disilicate ceramic blocks. The appointment covers scanning, design, milling, polishing or glazing, and bonded fit under local anaesthetic, with most patients back to normal eating within hours. The route particularly suits those needing a posterior crown placed quickly.

TKC same day CEREC crown service is designed for patients who want a fast, reliable and long-lasting solution — without weeks of waiting or multiple appointments.

Same Day CEREC Crowns: What to Remember

A same day CEREC crown delivers a fully bonded ceramic restoration in a single appointment using digital scanning, on-screen design, and chairside milling. The clinical outcome is comparable to a traditional lab-made crown; the single-visit workflow is what saves the second appointment and the temporary phase.

The key things to remember about same day CEREC crowns:

• Single visit: prep, scan, design, mill, and bond in one 2-3 hour appointment, no temporary crown
• Material is lithium disilicate (or zirconia-reinforced) high-strength glass-ceramic
• Longevity is good: 85.7% survival at 10 years for chairside CEREC
• UK cost £700-£1,200 per crown; at our Kensington and Knightsbridge clinics from £1,000

For patients in Kensington and Knightsbridge, a consultation confirms whether your tooth suits the chairside CEREC route, what build-up and X-ray needs apply, and how the cost breaks down for your case.

Book Your Same Day Crown Consultation at TKC Dental

Speak with our team at TKC Dental in Kensington and Knightsbridge to plan your same day crown. The consultation will include tooth assessment, X-rays where indicated, build-up filling needs review, and a written quote for the chairside CEREC procedure. Book a consultation to start.

Information Sources

CEREC CAD/CAM Chairside System (PubMed Central, Mörmann clinical review)
Long-term survival of Cerec restorations: a 10-year study (PubMed, Otto + De Nisco)