CEREC® Same-Day Crowns in Brier Creek, Raleigh
 A damaged or weakened tooth no longer means scheduling two appointments and wearing a temporary crown for weeks — CEREC® technology at our Brier Creek office lets you walk in with a damaged tooth and leave the same day with a permanent, custom ceramic restoration. The team at Stansell Dentistry Associates uses an in-office digital scanner, computer-aided design software, and a chairside milling unit to create your crown while you wait, eliminating the need for messy putty impressions, temporary crowns, and return visits.
Our Brier Creek location at 9400 Brier Creek Parkway serves patients from throughout western Raleigh, Apex, Morrisville, and Research Triangle Park. For a comprehensive look at CEREC® technology and how same-day crowns compare to traditional lab-fabricated restorations, visit our main CEREC® same-day crowns page.
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How CEREC® Same-Day Crowns Work
CEREC® stands for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics. The system combines digital imaging, computer-aided design, and in-office manufacturing into a single streamlined workflow that produces a permanent ceramic crown in about two hours. Here is what each phase of the process looks like at our Brier Creek office:
Your dentist begins by numbing the area and preparing the tooth. Damaged or decayed material is removed, and the remaining tooth structure is shaped to create a stable foundation for the crown. Once preparation is complete, a handheld intraoral scanner captures a precise 3D image of the prepared tooth and the surrounding teeth. This digital scan replaces the traditional putty impression — it takes just a few minutes and is far more comfortable.
The scan data feeds directly into the CEREC® design software, where your dentist models the crown on a chairside monitor. The software analyzes your bite alignment, the contours of neighboring teeth, and the spacing needed for a natural fit. Your dentist fine-tunes the shape, height, and contact points before sending the design to the milling unit.
The milling unit carves your crown from a single block of dental-grade ceramic in approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Once milled, the crown is shade-matched, polished, and tried in for fit. Your dentist verifies the bite from multiple angles and makes any final adjustments before permanently bonding the crown to the prepared tooth. A quick polish finishes the appointment, and you leave with a fully functional restoration in place.
Your Brier Creek Dental Team
The dental team at our Brier Creek location brings a thorough, detail-oriented approach to every CEREC® appointment. Before any crown work begins, your dentist evaluates the tooth with digital x-rays and an intraoral camera to determine whether a same-day crown is the right solution. Some situations — such as a tooth that has undergone a root canal and requires a post and core buildup — may involve additional preparation steps before the crown can be designed.
Our team’s familiarity with the CEREC® system means the transition from scan to design to milling is seamless. Your dentist controls every phase of the process rather than relying on communication with an outside lab, which reduces the potential for miscommunication and ensures the final restoration matches both clinical standards and your expectations.
Benefits of Same-Day Crowns at Brier Creek
 Patients at our Brier Creek office choose CEREC® crowns for several practical and clinical advantages:
- One Appointment, One Crown — The entire process — preparation, scanning, design, milling, and bonding — is completed in a single visit that typically takes about two hours. There is no second appointment and no time spent waiting for an outside lab.
- No Temporary Crown — Traditional crown procedures require a temporary that can crack, shift, or fall off during the waiting period. CEREC® eliminates that step entirely, along with the sensitivity and inconvenience temporaries often cause.
- Comfortable Digital Impressions — The intraoral scanner replaces the gag-inducing putty trays used in conventional impressions. The digital scan is faster, more precise, and significantly more comfortable for patients.
- All-Ceramic Aesthetics — CEREC® crowns are milled from solid ceramic blocks that closely replicate the translucency and color of natural tooth enamel. There is no metal substructure, which means no dark line at the gumline over time.
- Durable, Long-Lasting Results — The dental-grade ceramic used in CEREC® restorations is strong, stain-resistant, and clinically proven to perform comparably to traditional lab-fabricated crowns over the long term.
Why Choose Us for CEREC® Crowns in Brier Creek
Having the complete CEREC® system on-site at our Brier Creek office means your treatment timeline stays entirely in our hands. There are no outside lab delays, no shipping schedules to wait on, and no risk of a temporary crown failing before your permanent restoration arrives. The same dental professional who prepares your tooth also designs, mills, and seats the crown — a closed-loop workflow that produces a more consistent result.
Our Brier Creek team pairs the CEREC® system with advanced diagnostic tools including digital x-rays and intraoral cameras, giving your dentist a complete picture of the tooth before any preparation begins. This level of precision is especially important for crowns placed after restorative dentistry procedures or on teeth with complex damage patterns.
Patient comfort extends beyond the treatment itself. Our office features a coffee and beverage bar, in-chair entertainment, blankets, and warm towels. Because CEREC® crowns are completed in one visit, you spend less total time in the chair compared to the traditional two-appointment process — a meaningful advantage for patients with busy schedules or dental anxiety.
CEREC® Crown Cost & Insurance at Brier Creek
Most dental insurance plans cover CEREC® crowns at the same rate as traditional crowns because the procedure code is identical. Coverage levels vary by plan, but crowns generally fall under the major restorative category, and a significant portion of the cost is typically covered.
The final price of your CEREC® crown depends on several factors, including the location of the tooth, the extent of preparation required, and whether any supplemental procedures such as a core buildup are needed. Our Brier Creek team provides a clear cost estimate and verifies your insurance benefits before treatment begins.
Stansell Dentistry Associates accepts MetLife, BCBS, Delta Dental, Ameritas, United Concordia, Aetna, United Healthcare, and Cigna. For patients who need help managing out-of-pocket costs, we offer Sunbit pay-over-time financing and CareCredit. Our in-house membership plans also provide discounted rates on restorative services for patients without insurance. Visit our financial and insurance page for complete details, or call 984-477-0177 for a personalized estimate.
Visit Our Brier Creek Office
Our Brier Creek office is located at 9400 Brier Creek Parkway, Ste 204, Raleigh, NC 27617. We welcome patients Monday through Friday. Call 984-477-0177 to schedule your CEREC® same-day crown consultation.
CEREC® crowns are also available at our North Raleigh office and our Knightdale office. Visit our North Raleigh CEREC same-day crowns page or Knightdale CEREC same-day crowns page for location-specific information, or browse our full range of dental services to see everything Stansell Dentistry Associates provides across the Raleigh metro area.
Frequently Asked Questions About CEREC® Crowns in Brier Creek
Can a CEREC® crown be used after a root canal?
Yes. A tooth that has undergone root canal treatment is typically weaker and more prone to fracture, so a full-coverage crown is often recommended to protect it. In many cases, a CEREC crown can be designed and placed on the same day your root canal is completed, reducing the number of appointments needed to finish your treatment. Your dentist determines whether a post and core buildup is needed before the crown is fabricated.
What material are CEREC® crowns made from?
CEREC crowns are milled from solid blocks of dental-grade ceramic. This material is strong, stain-resistant, and closely matches the translucency and color of natural tooth enamel. Unlike older crown types that use a metal core beneath a porcelain shell, CEREC crowns are all-ceramic throughout, which produces a more natural appearance and eliminates the dark line that metal-based crowns can develop at the gumline over time.
How long will my CEREC® crown last?
With proper oral hygiene and regular dental checkups, a CEREC crown can last many years. The ceramic material is designed to resist wear and abrasion under normal chewing forces. Factors that affect longevity include the location of the crown, your bite alignment, and habits such as teeth grinding or clenching. If grinding is a concern, your dentist may recommend a nightguard to protect the restoration while you sleep.
Is the digital scanning process uncomfortable?
Not at all. The intraoral scanner is a small handheld wand that your dentist moves gently across the surfaces of your teeth. It captures thousands of images per second to build a precise 3D model. The process takes only a few minutes and is significantly more comfortable than traditional putty impressions, which many patients find gag-inducing and unpleasant.
Are there cases where a traditional crown is better than CEREC®?
In some complex situations, a traditional lab-fabricated crown may be preferred. Cases involving multiple adjacent crowns that require highly customized layering by a ceramist, or restorations that need specialized materials beyond what the CEREC system mills, may benefit from the traditional approach. Your dentist evaluates your specific needs during the consultation and recommends whichever method will produce the best clinical and aesthetic outcome.
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