Dental Crowns vs Porcelain Veneers

Do you feel unhappy with the look and feel of your smile? Your dentist can use custom-made fixtures that adhere to the teeth to improve their appearance and provide lasting protection from further damage.

Two of these dental solutions include porcelain veneers and dental crowns. Though their structures seem similar, their purposes will vary. Your dentist can let you know which procedure will best suit your specific needs when you schedule a dental consultation. Read on to learn more about these two dental treatments and how these fixtures can both enhance your teeth in different ways.

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Restore Tooth Structure with Dental Crowns

A dental crown resembles a tooth-colored cap made from ceramic. A dentist will build these fixtures on a custom basis according to the needs and desires of each patient. Then they secure them over a tooth using dental cement.

The procedure begins with shaving a minute amount of the enamel from the affected tooth to make room for this cap. You will receive a local anesthetic to numb the area and ensure your comfort. The dentist takes impressions of your smile so that they can make your crown and then they provide you with a temporary crown as they build your permanent one.

You return to the dentist’s office to receive your permanent crown after two to three weeks. The dental cement ensures a secure fit and creates a seal to protect the tooth and the dental work. It will stay in place for fifteen years or longer with proper care.

The crown can restore the shape and function of a damaged tooth, hence its use as a restorative dental tool. The seal over the tooth and the durable ceramic will keep the tooth safe from further harm.

Though known for these dental health benefits, a crown can improve the aesthetic of a tooth too. A dentist can factor in the cosmetic goals of the patient when making the crown to enhance the tooth’s color and shape.

Crowns make for strong dental fixtures, but they are not indestructible. Avoid abnormally high pressures like biting hard items or grinding your teeth. Tell your dentist if you damage a crown so that you can receive urgent repairs or replacements.

Build an Aesthetically Enhanced Smile with Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers also feature caps that attach to the teeth, but these resemble shells and cover the front part of the tooth only. They use bonding material to adhere to the teeth. To prepare the teeth, a dentist must etch into the tooth enamel.

Like crowns, veneers will require more than one appointment at your dentist’s office. This is so the dentist has time to prepare the teeth, construct custom dental fixtures, and then attach them to the smile.

A veneer is a cosmetic dental solution, meaning a dentist designs them primarily to enhance the appearance of a tooth. They make a tooth brighter, straighter, and fuller according to their aesthetic goals. And these strong fixtures can last for fifteen years with proper care.

Porcelain veneers can also improve a patient’s oral health. Learn more about the benefits of this treatment as well as how it compares to a dental crown by calling your dentist.