Same-day crowns and restorations with CAD/CAM

CAD/CAM stands for computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing. Applied to dentistry, it lets a crown, onlay, veneer, or inlay go from intraoral scan to patient's mouth in a single session, no provisionals, no two-week lab waits, no second visit.

Our workflow at Atria Sampaio is direct: we scan the prepared tooth with an intraoral scanner, design the restoration in CAD software considering occlusion, contacts, and aesthetics, and the clinic's mill carves the piece from a ceramic block. Polishing, glazing, and cementation happen in the same session. A crown that used to take three visits over two weeks now takes two to three hours.

The materials we use are premium grade: lithium disilicate (e.max) when we need high aesthetics and moderate strength, high-strength translucent zirconia for areas with heavier occlusal load, and hybrid ceramics in specific cases. The selection isn't arbitrary: it depends on the tooth, remaining structure, occlusion, and aesthetic demand.

Why does having the mill in-clinic matter? Because it eliminates a critical variable: the lab transfer. No impressions that deform, no casts that fracture, no provisionals that fall off over the weekend. Quality control is immediate. If something isn't right, it's remilled in minutes.

CAD/CAM isn't suitable for every case. Very complex full rehabilitations, high-end aesthetics with custom color effects, or specific periodontal situations still require traditional lab work. In the initial evaluation we tell you clearly which workflow is better for your case, without forcing technology where it doesn't belong.