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What is the longest dental appointment?

A standard dental appointment may last up to 45 minutes. A filling may take an hour or so. In some cases, they are done within 20 minutes. An experienced dentist can complete three to four fillings within an hour. A root canal treatment can be completed in under 60 minutes. So what is the longest dental appointment?

How long can your dental appointments be?

A dental examination takes 35-45 minutes

A new patient’s dental exam takes 45 minutes

Dental Cleanings take 60 minutes

The Dental Bridge procedure takes an hour to an hour and a half

Extractions take half an hour

Root canal treatment takes 30 to 6o minutes

Cosmetic dental bonding takes 30 to 60 minutes

A dental implant takes 30 minutes to 3 hours

Composite fillings take 20 to 30 minutes

Teeth whitening takes 30 minutes to one hour and a half

Crowns take 2 to 4 hours

Veneers take 3 hours

The above is an estimate only. The appointment duration will depend on your oral health, the complication of the dental procedure, and your dentist’s experience level.

Cleanings may take more than an hour if you have not seen your dentist in years.

Dental crown treatment may require you to have the longest dental appointment. Crowns may take as long as 4 hours to complete.

Why does a dental crown treatment appointment take so long?

Here we are talking about the same-day dental crown procedure. While the procedure may require as much as 4 hours to complete, the active treatment during the appointment involves only half of that time.

Examining the teeth for crowning, shaping the teeth, and taking impressions may take up to an hour and a half. Then you have to wait while the crowns are being fabricated.

Cementing the fabricated crown into place takes 20 to 30 minutes.

Some dentists, however, will allow you to leave the clinic while the crown is being fabricated.

How long does CAD/CAM crown procedure take?

Computer-aided design (CAD) and manufacturing (CAM) have halved the duration of a dental crown appointment.

Now you can have your crown ready and fitted to your mouth within an hour. That also includes taking the impression of your tooth and feeding the data into specific design software.

You can leave your dentist’s office with your crown in place after an hour’s treatment.

How long can a root canal treatment take for a tooth with multiple roots?

A root canal treatment may take half an hour to an hour. However, if the treatment involves an infection on a tooth with multiple roots, the treatment process may take up to an hour and a half to complete. Your dentist has to drill a hole into your tooth and remove the infected pulp from the pulp chamber, thus cleaning the infected roots and sealing the hole to stop infection.

What happens during a dental examination?

  • Your dentist will check your teeth for cavities.
  • The dentist will inspect your gums.
  • X-rays are done to check your teeth under the gumline.
  • A hygienist will remove any plaque or tartar from your teeth.

How to make your dental appointments less scary?

  • Talk. Let the dental staff know of any concerns you may have.
  • Take a day off from work, if possible.
  • Eat a healthy diet. Eat foods that are safe for you.
  • Relax. Trust your dentist.
  • Learn about your dental procedure as much as possible. Ask your dentist to explain to you the entire procedure step by step.

Can your anxiety level influence the duration of your dental appointment?

It can and it will. If you are anxious about your dental procedure, let your dentist know. That will help them be extra careful with you. They will describe the procedure to you to eradicate your fear. You will know precisely how far they will go and what the procedure will involve.

The procedure will advance more slowly than usual, thus making the appointment longer than average.

How can you help reduce the duration of your dental appointment?

You can do several things to reduce the duration of your dental appointment.

  • First, improve oral health by brushing your teeth twice daily and flossing regularly.
  • See your dentist at least twice a year. Do necessary cleanings in time.
  • If possible, complete all necessary paperwork online before appearing for your appointment.
  • Have a list of all current and previous treatments and medications handy.
  • Find an experienced dentist for your dental procedure.

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