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U.S. Air Force Capt. Jacob Freeze (right), 23rd Medical Group general dentist, and Heather Patrick (left), 23rd MDG dental technician suction moisture from a patient's mouth at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, Jan. 5, 2023. Before anything can be cemented in the mouth, the area must be as dry as possible. Using tools such as a suction and cotton rounds helps isolate the area and keep saliva away.

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U.S. Air Force Capt. Jacob Freeze (left), 23rd Medical Group general dentist, and Heather Patrick (right), 23rd MDG dental technician work on fitting a dental crown at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, Jan. 5, 2023. After creating the crown in the lab, the shade is matched and the patient's bite is evaluated to ensure comfort. The material used begins blue in color, once shaped, the lab technicians stain and glaze the crown to match the shade to the patient’s natural teeth.

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U.S. Air Force Capt. Jacob Freeze (left), 23rd Medical Group general dentist, and Heather Patrick (right), 23rd MDG dental technician prepare a patient for the cementing of a porcelain crown at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, Jan. 5, 2023. Following a root canal, the outside of the tooth is shaved down and prepped for a crown. With new technology, a crown can be made in-house the same day to maintain physical readiness.

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U.S. Air Force 23rd Medical Group dental technician, Heather Patrick, prepares crown resin material at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, Jan. 5, 2023. The resin is a tooth-colored restorative material used to replace decayed portions of tooth structure. Before a crown is placed, resin is used for a filling after the decay is removed.

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A U.S. Air Force Airman gets dental work done at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, Jan. 5, 2023. Nearing the end of the crown placement procedure, a curing light is used to set the crown in place. When resin is exposed to the blue light, the material hardens and making itstrong enough for normal chewing.

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A U.S. Air Force Airman finishes getting a porcelain crown placed at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, Jan. 5, 2022. Following placement, the crown is checked for any remaining residue that may need to be removed. The goal of the new technology is to deliver oral health services and to ensure the readiness of personnel.

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Dental tools are prepared for use at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, Jan. 5, 2023. Each tool has a very specific use depending on which step in crown-placement is being performed. Dental technicians ensure all items are properly sanitized before use.

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U.S. Air Force Capt. Jacob Freeze, 23rd Medical Group general dentist, prepares for a crown-placement procedure at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, Jan. 5, 2023. The 23rd Medical Group dental office offers the option of a same-day crown. With new technology, dentists can take an intraoral scan enabling in-house crown creation within 10-20 minutes, allowing the patient to be seen and taken care of in one appointment.

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Published Jan. 6, 2023

This photo story depicts a U.S. Air Force Airman, assigned to the 23rd Wing getting dental work done at Moody Air Force Base.

During this procedure, the patient was prepped for the placement of a porcelain crown. Moody AFB has the option to create a crown in house same day which helps ensure personnel readiness.