How Long Does Crown Replacement Take?

The Visit-by-Visit Timeline

Standard crown replacement at Picasso Dental Clinic follows a two-visit protocol separated by one to two weeks. The overall process is shorter than most patients expect, and the week or two between appointments is not a recovery period: it is the time your new crown takes to be fabricated in the lab.

Visit one: 60 to 90 minutes

The first visit begins with local anaesthesia to numb the tooth and surrounding gum tissue completely. Once numb, the old crown is sectioned and removed. The underlying tooth is then examined for any new decay, cracks, or structural changes that may have developed since the original crown was placed. If a core buildup or root canal is needed, it is addressed at this visit and quoted separately in advance.

After examination, the tooth is shaped for the new crown. An impression or digital scan captures the exact preparation, bite relationship, and adjacent teeth. Shade is matched to neighbouring teeth if the crown is in the smile zone. A temporary crown is fabricated and fitted to protect the prepared tooth and maintain the gum contour during the lab fabrication period.

Days one to fourteen: lab fabrication

You wear the temporary crown and live normally. Zirconia and Emax crowns take 10 to 14 days. PFM crowns take 7 to 10 days. During this time, eat on the opposite side, avoid sticky foods that can pull the temporary off, and use gentle flossing technique (slide out sideways rather than pulling up). Mild temperature sensitivity through the temporary is harmless and resolves once the permanent crown is cemented.

Visit two: 30 to 45 minutes

The temporary is removed. The permanent crown is tried in to confirm fit, colour, and bite. Small adjustments are made if needed. Once both dentist and patient confirm everything is correct, the crown is cemented with high-strength dental cement. The cement sets in roughly 30 minutes, after which you can eat normally on that tooth.

The Post-Crown Adjustment Period

Once the permanent crown is cemented, the tooth and surrounding tissues go through a brief adjustment period. The crown itself does not heal because it is not living tissue. What changes is how the gum settles around the new crown margin, how your bite integrates the new chewing surface, and how any residual sensitivity in the underlying tooth fades.

Hours 0 to 4

Numbness from the anaesthesia. The lip and cheek may feel thick. Wait until normal sensation returns before eating. Avoid hot drinks during this period.

Hours 4 to 24

Anaesthesia wears off. Mild gum tenderness around the crown margin. The tooth may feel slightly elevated. Ibuprofen 400 to 600 mg manages discomfort. Soft food on the opposite side. Most patients rate discomfort at 2 to 3 out of 10.

Days 1 to 7

Gum tenderness decreases progressively each day. Mild temperature sensitivity is normal for up to two weeks if the tooth still has its pulp. The bite awareness that makes you notice the new crown when chewing fades steadily. By day four to seven, most patients are eating normally. If the bite feels persistently high after day five, a five-minute bite adjustment resolves it at a follow-up.

Week two and beyond

Most patients forget which tooth was replaced by week two. Gum tissue completes its settling around the crown margin. If temperature sensitivity persists and intensifies beyond week two, evaluation is warranted. This is uncommon but can indicate pulp inflammation in a tooth that still has its nerve.

Digital CAD/CAM Crown Workflow

Picasso uses a fully digital CAD/CAM workflow for crown replacement. The tooth is scanned with an intra-oral digital scanner, the crown is designed on-screen, and the design is sent to our dental laboratory, which fabricates the crown over roughly three to five working days. You wear a temporary crown in the interim and return for try-in and cementation at the second visit. The digital scan removes the discomfort of physical impression putty and improves marginal accuracy, but the crown itself is laboratory-fabricated, not milled chairside.

Some clinics elsewhere operate an in-house milling unit and can produce a chairside crown in a single appointment. Picasso does not offer in-house chairside same-day crowns. Our crowns are CAD/CAM-designed digitally and then crafted by skilled laboratory technicians, which we prefer for material range, layering, and aesthetic control.

For international patients, plan for both visits within your stay: the scan and preparation early in the trip, then cementation around three to five working days later once the laboratory completes the crown. Ask at your consultation for a written schedule so you can time your flights around the lab fabrication window.

Living with the Temporary Crown Between Visits

The temporary crown is functional but not designed for full chewing loads. Following these guidelines protects both the temporary and the prepared tooth during the lab fabrication window.

• Eat on the opposite side The temporary cement is provisional. Repeated heavy chewing on the temporary risks loosening it. Eat on the opposite side for the one to two weeks between visits.
• Avoid sticky foods Toffee, chewing gum, dried fruit, and caramel can pull a temporary crown off. If the temporary does come off, contact the clinic the same day for a re-fit.
• Floss sideways, not upward Continue flossing around the temporary, but slide the floss out to the side rather than pulling it up through the contact. Pulling up can lift the temporary off.
• Use warm saltwater rinses Two to three times daily: half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water. Reduces gum inflammation at the crown margin and keeps the area clean.
• Take ibuprofen pre-emptively after visit one Take 400 to 600 mg of ibuprofen about an hour before the local anaesthetic typically wears off (roughly one hour after leaving the clinic). This pre-empts inflammation rather than reacting to it.

When to Contact Your Dentist After Crown Replacement

Mild tenderness for a few days is expected. The following signs warrant a prompt follow-up visit.

Pain getting worse rather than better after day three. Post-procedure discomfort should follow a clear downward trend. Increasing pain after day three can indicate a bite issue, pulp inflammation, or a loose temporary that needs attention.

Bite that feels persistently high after day five. Minor bite awareness in the first few days is normal as your nervous system adjusts. If the crown still feels noticeably elevated when you bite after five days, a bite adjustment is needed. This takes five minutes and resolves the issue completely.

Temperature sensitivity that intensifies rather than fades. Mild sensitivity in a tooth that still has its pulp is expected for up to two weeks. If the sensitivity is getting worse, not better, have the tooth evaluated.

Swelling or discharge near the crown. This is not a normal post-procedure finding and requires same-week evaluation.

For more detail on crown materials and cost, see the porcelain crown cost guide. For information on what causes crowns to need replacement, see the guide to cracked porcelain crowns.