We live in amazing times!

I chipped off a corner of a dental crown. First crown lasted 12 years, and second crown lasted 16 years. I was expecting a similar experience as last time where I'd leave with a temporary crown and come back a week or two later for the permanent crown. Sure there would be some technology improvements but really expected the same general process. I was wrong in a good way.

Improvement #1 - no more God awful molds testing your gag reflex. It's now a 3D scan.

Improvement #2 - no more temporary crown. On-site 3D milling of porcelain zirconium based on the 3D scan and you leave same day with your permanent crown. The 3D milling takes about 45 min, and overall I was there 3 hours. However, it's a huge improvement in total time compared to two or three visits.

My first crown, the temporary fell off on Easter Sunday and it was super sensitive until I could see the dentist for more temporary glue on Monday. Sure am glad to skip the whole temporary crown process.

The scanning tool is amazing. How the software figures out location and size baffles me. They wave it around and it not only makes a picture, it knows the exact dimensions.

My dentist does the in-house milling. The material is good but not the strongest available. For the rear most molars, at least for me, they don't have enough strength. I've got a couple of his milled crowns, but also two gold crowns for the rear most molars, and two lab made ones for the front two teeth.

The scans are so precise that they have to plug in a "fudge factor" to account for space for the cement under a crown or inlay. Related, digital imaging for dental implants allows the surgeon to use a 3D head scan to precisely place specific implant brands/models in the 3D image itself, at exactly the right angle and depth, and create a shim for the implant bur during surgery for exact placement. It also allows creation of surgical replacement of osseous (bony) defects or injuries to the head, face and jaw with titanium, stainless steel or ceramic implants that fit precisely before surgery is ever initiated, saving OR and anesthesia time for the patient and ensuring a better outcome.

Would you trust the places that constantly advertise on TV? Or how would I find a long time pro who really knows what he's doing?
I need two or three on each lower side and maybe in the future all the lower fronts.
My long time dentist retired a few years ago. The young couple who took over her practice, I've gotten mixed reviews from my children about them.
I have an extremely bad gag reflex so that 3D scanning sound great.
Those TV ads don't mention the price! A full set of teeth would probably cost 70 or 80 grand!

My bad. I misread the title, It's about crowns, I was thinking implants. Nevermind.