When a tooth suffers this level of damage, the tooth is numbed and prepared. Preparation involves reshaping the tooth to the proper height and shape so as to receive and support the crown that slips over and fits onto the tooth like two jigsaw puzzle pieces fitting together or a hand sliding into a custom-made glove. Traditionally and unfortunately in 95% of offices, the next step is to take a mold/impression of the prepped tooth to send off to the lab and then make a temporary crown that the patient wears for 2-4 weeks until the permanent crown comes back from the lab. Fortunately in our office, we provide our patients with same-day crowns using CEREC technology.