What is a temporary crown and how long does it last?

Temporary crowns are usually used on a tooth while a permanent crown is being made by a dental lab. It usually takes 10-14 days for a dental lab to make a permanent crown, but the temporary crown can last for 30 days or more. Sometimes, a dentist may have a patient wear a temporary crown for 6 months or more. 

A temporary crown helps to protect and insulate a tooth from temperature sensitivity while the permanent crown is being made. It also helps to keep teeth from shifting. If a temporary crown comes off, in just a few days time, teeth may shift and the permanent crown may not fit at the try-in appointment. 

While dentists may be able to make a crown in their own office, most dentists reach out to third party dental labs to make their crowns. A dentist may not have the special machines or techniques to make a crown themselves. For crowns with metal, a dental lab will use waxing & casting techniques and machines just like a jeweler would use. A ceramist will custom make a porcelain crown, staining, glazing & baking with high heat ovens. Sometimes machines are used to mill metal or porcelain from a block that is then fitted on 3D printed models, stained, glazed, and then fired in ovens. It is both science and art!