Are Temporary Crowns Dead? Why Same Day Crowns Are the New Standard in Salt Lake City
Published June 16, 2026
Stop the press: You don’t have to live in "Temporary Crown Purgatory" anymore.
If you’ve ever had a traditional dental crown, you know the drill (pun absolutely intended). You spend an hour getting your tooth prepped, gag on a mouthful of purple goop that tastes like a science experiment gone wrong, and then walk out with a "temporary" crown that feels like a piece of chewed-up gum stuck to your molar. Then, you wait. Two weeks? Three? All while praying that a rogue bagel doesn't pop that temporary cap off at 9:00 PM on a Saturday.
At Salt Flats Dentistry, we think your time, and your sanity, is worth more than that. That’s why we’ve officially declared temporary crowns "so last decade."
With our state-of-the-art CEREC same day crowns, you can walk into our Salt Lake City office with a broken tooth and walk out two hours later with a permanent, high-strength porcelain restoration. No goop, no waiting, and definitely no "temporary" anxiety.
Ready to skip the wait? Book your Same-Day Crown today!
The "Old School" Struggle: Why Traditional Crowns Are a Headache
Let’s be honest: nobody wakes up excited for a dental appointment. But the traditional crown process makes it twice as hard. Here is what the "standard" experience usually looks like at a typical dentist in Salt Lake City:
- The Putty of Doom: They shove a tray full of messy, gag-inducing impression material into your mouth.
- The Waiting Game: Your impressions are mailed to a lab (probably across the country), and you’re told to wait 14+ days.
- The "Temp" Life: You get a temporary crown made of plastic. It looks fake, feels weird, and has a 50/50 chance of falling off if you look at a piece of crusty bread too hard.
- The Return Trip: You have to take another day off work, drive back through SLC traffic, get numbed up again, and hope the lab actually made the crown right the first time.
Does that sound efficient? Not to us.
Enter the Solution: CEREC Same Day Crowns
Technology has changed everything from how we order pizza to how we navigate the Wasatch Front. It’s about time it changed your dental experience, too.
CEREC (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics) is a fancy way of saying we have a tiny, super-accurate robot in our office that 3D-prints your tooth while you watch Netflix. Here is how Dr. Todd Vincent and the team at Salt Flats make it happen in just one visit:
1. Digital Scanning (Goodbye, Putty!)
Instead of that gross impression material, we use a high-definition digital scanner. It’s like a tiny camera that takes a 3D video of your mouth. It’s fast, clean, and, most importantly, it doesn’t make you gag.
2. Custom 3D Design
Once we have your digital map, Dr. Vincent uses specialized software to design your new tooth right in front of you. We can tweak the shape, size, and fit to a level of precision that a human lab tech just can't match.
3. In-House Milling
While you’re hanging out in our comfortable dental chairs (complete with noise-canceling headphones and ceiling TVs), our milling machine gets to work. It carves your custom crown out of a single block of high-strength ceramic.
4. Final Placement
We polish it, bond it, and, voila!, you’re done. You leave with a permanent, beautiful crown that looks exactly like your natural teeth.
Why Patients Love Same Day Crowns (And You Will Too)
If the convenience hasn't sold you yet, let’s talk about the actual benefits of choosing a modern dentist in Salt Lake City who uses CEREC technology.
- One Numbing, One Visit: Nobody likes the needle. With same day crowns, you only get numbed once. We do the work, and you're finished.
- A Better Fit: Digital scans are significantly more accurate than traditional molds. This means your crown fits perfectly against your gums and matches your bite exactly.
- Natural Aesthetics: These aren't your grandma’s "gold teeth" (unless you really want that). Our ceramic blocks come in dozens of shades to perfectly match your surrounding teeth.
- Durability: Because the crown is milled from a single, solid block of ceramic, it’s incredibly strong and resistant to chipping.
Meet Dr. Todd Vincent: Your Tech-Savvy Neighborhood Dentist
When you visit Salt Flats Dentistry, you aren’t just a number on a chart. You’re working with Dr. Todd Vincent, a dentist who combines "big city" technology with a "small town" heart.
Dr. Vincent grew up right here in Utah and spent his years mastering the latest in dental tech because he hates seeing patients suffer through unnecessary discomfort. When he isn't obsessing over the perfect 3D crown design, you can usually find him exploring the outdoors or spending time with his family. He built Salt Flats Dentistry to be a place where fear is replaced by comfort, whether that’s through sedation dentistry for anxious patients or just having a friendly conversation that doesn't feel like a sales pitch.
"My goal has always been to make dentistry 'invisible' in people's lives. You shouldn't have to plan your whole month around a crown. You should be able to get it fixed and get back to your life." , Dr. Todd Vincent
Common Questions About Same Day Crowns
Does insurance cover CEREC crowns?
In most cases, yes! Because the end result is the same, a permanent dental crown, most insurance providers cover CEREC the same way they cover traditional crowns. We are highly insurance-friendly, including Medicaid acceptance at specific locations.
Are they as strong as "lab-made" crowns?
Actually, they are often stronger. Because they are milled from a single block of high-grade ceramic or zirconia, there are no "weak points" or layers that can delaminate over time.
Is it more expensive?
Surprisingly, no. While the technology is expensive for the office to purchase, it saves you money by eliminating the second appointment and the lab fees. Most of our patients find the "cost" of missing two days of work for a traditional crown is far higher than a one-visit CEREC appointment.
The Salt Flats Difference: Comfort First
We know that for many, the biggest barrier to the dentist isn't just time: it’s fear. That’s why we’ve designed our offices in Herriman, Cottonwood, and along the Bangerter Highway to be as calming as a spa.
From the Bonneville Salt Flats murals on the walls to the ceiling-mounted TVs and noise-canceling headphones, we do everything possible to take your mind off the procedure. We even offer sedation options for those who need a little extra help relaxing.
Stop Waiting. Start Smiling.
The days of the temporary crown are numbered. If you have a cracked tooth, an old filling that’s failing, or just want to upgrade your smile with the best dentist Salt Lake City has to offer, it’s time to go digital.
At Salt Flats Dentistry, we’re ready to help you get your permanent crown in a single visit so you can spend your weekend at the lake or in the mountains: not worrying about a temporary cap falling out.
Schedule Your Same-Day Appointment Now!
Salt Flats Dentistry Locations & Hours
Bangerter Highway Office
- Address: 13348 S Market Center Dr #110, Riverton, UT 84065
- Phone: (801) 810-6744
- Hours: Mon–Fri: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Herriman Office
- Address: 5532 W Herriman Main St #120, Herriman, UT 84096
- Phone: (801) 302-8989
- Hours: Mon–Fri: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Cottonwood Office
- Address: 6322 S 3000 E #130, Cottonwood Heights, UT 84121
- Phone: (801) 943-3444