When you break a tooth in your mouth for whatever reason, the last thing you want is to have to wait around for interminable amounts of time to get it fixed. The traditional method for getting a broken tooth fixed is to get a crown. The problem is the traditional approach to getting a crown will take at least two appointments, X-rays and as long as three weeks to fix. Here are some features to look for in dentist offices to get this done much faster.

Digital Scanning

Digital upgrades to X-rays means that the office can use a computer to generate X-rays from your teeth instead of using traditional film. This type of X-ray also tends to emit considerable less radiation so the preparation needed to protect you will also be less.

In addition, 3D scanning technology means that dentists can completely scan your broken tooth in order to have a complete digital model of it within minutes. This is an upgrade over the old way which involved putting putty in your mouth that you bit down onto for an impression.

This technology is also referred to as "digital milling." It's one of the reasons why some dentist offices can scan your tooth and prepare you for repairing it on the same day instead of weeks later.

3D Printing in Minutes

The other half of this that makes it work as fast as possible is new 3D printing technology. Instead of having to send a putty impression away to a lab so that they can slowly create a model of a crown to fix your broken tooth, it's often possible to print it immediately. This may currently involve waiting throughout the day as the job is moved to a manufacturing company.

3D printers are now not only used in the production of plastic figurines. The technology originally used liquid plastic to create plastic models of just about anything one line at a time. But these days many other materials can be loaded into the printer and it can be used for many other purposes.

In fact, some sources are claiming that 3D printing speeds are increasing so much that a new tooth can now be printed in just 6.5 minutes. Many dentist offices may still need to outsource 3D printing work at present, but more and more it's looking like these will soon be inside of dentist offices.

These new artificial teeth replacements will also be even more accurate than those produced from putty since it's all digital and computers are effective at precision.