Is a Same-Day CEREC Crown as Good as a Lab-Made Crown?

Written by the Lotus Clinic team. Clinically reviewed and approved by Dr Emanuele Clozza. Prices checked September 2026.

When we tell patients they can have a permanent crown fitted in a single visit, the next question is almost always: “Is it as good as one made in a lab?” It is a fair question. Here is an honest answer, including the situations where we would still recommend a lab made crown.

What is a CEREC crown?

CEREC is a digital system made by Dentsply Sirona that lets us design and make a ceramic crown in the clinic while you wait. At Lotus Clinic the process takes about 75 minutes from start to finish:

1. We prepare the tooth, just as we would for any crown.
2. We take a 3D scan with our CEREC Primescan instead of a putty impression.
3. Your crown is designed on screen to fit your bite and the teeth next to it.
4. Our CEREC MC XL milling unit carves the crown from a solid block of IPS e.max ceramic, and it is then finished in our furnace and fitted.

There is no temporary crown and no second appointment.

Is the material as strong?

The crowns we make with CEREC are milled from IPS e.max CAD, a lithium disilicate glass ceramic. It is the same family of material that many dental laboratories use for single crowns, and it is known for combining strength with a natural, tooth like translucency. Because the block is made in a factory under controlled conditions, the material itself is very consistent.

What does the research say?

Chairside CAD/CAM crowns and inlays have been studied for many years. Clinical studies of lithium disilicate crowns, including chairside milled ones, report survival rates that are broadly similar to conventional ceramic crowns made in a lab. As with any crown, the long term result depends on how the tooth is prepared, how the crown is bonded, your bite, whether you grind, and how well you look after your teeth.

How does the fit compare?

A crown needs to fit closely at its edges to protect the tooth underneath. Digital scanning avoids some of the small errors that can creep in with putty impressions and plaster models, and the design is checked on screen before milling. Studies generally find the fit of chairside milled crowns to be within the range considered clinically acceptable, similar to lab made crowns.

What about appearance?

For back teeth and most front teeth, a CEREC e.max crown looks natural. The blocks come in a range of shades with graded colour, and we can stain and glaze the crown to match your neighbouring teeth.

Where a lab crown can have the edge is a single front tooth in a very visible position that needs a highly individual colour match, for example with unusual translucency or markings. A skilled ceramist can build up a crown in layers by hand. In those cases we may recommend a lab made crown, and we will tell you so.

When we would still recommend a lab crown

• A single front tooth that needs very complex colour matching.
• Bridges, especially longer ones, or crowns joined together.
• Some crowns on implants, depending on the implant system and the case.
• Very heavy grinders, where a different material such as zirconia may be a better choice.
• Large smile makeovers where many teeth are being planned together.

The advantages of same-day

• One appointment. Less time off work and only one set of injections.
• No temporary crown. Temporaries can come off, feel rough or let sensitivity through. With CEREC you skip them.
• No putty impressions. Many patients find the digital scan much more comfortable, especially if they gag easily.
• Protecting a broken tooth quickly. If you have cracked a tooth, it can be protected permanently the same day. That is particularly useful after a dental emergency.

How much does a CEREC crown cost?

At Lotus Clinic a CEREC same-day crown costs £895, or £74.58 a month over 12 months with 0% finance, subject to status. CEREC inlays and onlays are also £895, and CEREC veneers start from £895. See our fees page for our full price list.

So, is it as good as a lab crown?

For most single crowns on back teeth, and many on front teeth, yes. The material, strength and fit are comparable, and you get your permanent crown the same day. For a small number of cases, particularly bridges and highly demanding single front teeth, a lab crown is the better choice, and we will explain why if that applies to you.

Next step

If you have a broken tooth, an old crown that needs replacing or a large filling that is failing, book an examination and we will tell you whether a same-day CEREC crown is suitable. You can see our equipment and how the process works on our CEREC same-day crowns page, and read more on our crowns and bridges page. Book online or call us on 020 8201 8080.

Lotus Dental and Aesthetics Clinic, 943 Finchley Road, Golders Green, London NW11 7PE.