Veneers vs. Crowns: Which Is Best for You?
If you’re looking for a way to restore your smile, you may be aware of two popular options—veneers and crowns. Both veneers and crowns can help you get your confident smile back, but which one is right for you? Whether you’d like your teeth to appear straighter and whiter, or need to protect a damaged tooth, both veneers and crowns can help you reach your dental goals.
In this guide, we’re going to discuss in detail all you need to know about crowns and veneers so you can decide which one to speak to your dentist about.
We’ll cover:
If you’d like to finally get the smile you’ve always wanted, veneers might be a good choice for you. This type of tooth enhancement is designed to seamlessly attach to your tooth to create a beautiful smile. Patients who are interested in veneers typically do so for a few reasons:
But what exactly is a veneer? A veneer is a very thin layer (almost like a shell) of material that is designed to bond with your teeth. It will cover the front surface of your tooth or teeth and provide it with extra protection. It will also create the appearance of straight teeth, giving you the smile you’ve always wanted.
Each veneer is custom designed to fit your expectations, and will be made into the color that looks natural with the rest of your teeth. Whether you want one veneer, or a couple, this option is minimally invasive and is considered a permanent form of tooth restoration. One of the most popular options chosen by patients is to replace the front eight teeth on the upper jaw to create a symmetrical and wonderful smile.
When discussing veneers with your dentist, they will typically give you two options when it comes to the veneer material.
Porcelain is a sturdy material for a permanent veneer and it is very long lasting. This is a great option for a veneer material if you want to create a brilliantly white, straight smile. In order to create the veneer, your dentist will either take an impression of your tooth, or use a 3D scan to create a mold. Depending on how many veneers you need, they can be made in house or may be sent off to a lab.
Composite resin is another option for veneers. They differ from porcelain veneers in that they are actually sculpted on top of the teeth you want the veneers on. This can typically be done on the same day. Another reason you might want to consider composite resin for your veneers is that they can be removed or adjusted as needed. This is due to the fact that there is less work done on the tooth underneath the composite resin veneer than there is with a porcelain veneer.
Although porcelain and composite resin are the most common types of veneer material, you can also get what is known as no-prep veneers. These are known under brand names such as Lumineers or Vivaneers. The prep process for this kind of veneer is much less extensive than the other two materials.
There are a variety of benefits to veneers if you think this might be the right option for your situation.
Veneers are an easy way to get the natural, symmetrical smile you’ve always wanted. They are cemented to your teeth and custom made so that they not only fit in your mouth perfectly, but they look and act just like real teeth. Your dentist will work with your veneers so that they are sculpted to look seamless in your mouth, allowing you to smile with confidence again.
If you’re looking for a dental restoration process that is minimally invasive, then veneers could be the answer you’re looking for. Your dentist will need to grind down a part of your tooth (more on that process later) and once the surface of your natural tooth is ready, your veneer is cemented on. After a few minor adjustments to ensure they fit and look exactly how you want them, you’ll be ready to go on your way.
Veneers are a permanent way to fix minor misalignments, stained teeth, chips, or gaps in your teeth. Not only is this tooth restoration option secure and stable, they are also more resistant to staining than your natural teeth.
Speaking of caring for your veneers, their maintenance is very straightforward. Care for your veneers as you would your normal teeth, and ensure you’re brushing twice a day, flossing, and seeing your dentist for your regular cleanings and checkups.
If you’ve always wanted to have whiter teeth but nothing seems to really work, veneers will stay whiter than natural teeth. This is because veneers are less porous than the natural enamel that makes up your teeth. This means they are very resistant to staining. So if you’d like to continue enjoying products that have a tendency to stain natural teeth (such as coffee or tea), veneers can offer you a more permanent whitening solution.
Like a lot of tooth restoration options, veneers are an investment in not only your oral health, but your overall well being. Feeling confident and loving how your smile looks is important, and veneers can provide you with a symmetrical, brilliant smile. Many patients feel that veneers are a worthwhile investment in their health as they can solve dental issues that have been bothering them for years.
Although there are many advantages to veneers, we thought it might be helpful to mention a few downsides so you can make a more informed decision.
That being said, if you feel that the pros of veneers outweigh the disadvantages, make sure to schedule a time to talk to your dentist.
If you’ve discussed veneers with your dentist and have decided that this is the best option for your situation, you can expect the process of putting the veneers on your teeth to be minimally invasive. Most patients need to return to the dentist’s office two or three times before the procedure is complete. When getting veneers, you will:
If your impressions need to be sent out to a lab, it may take a few weeks to get your veneers back. In the meantime, your dentist may offer you temporary veneers to wear. However, if the doctor prescribes composite resin for your veneer material, you typically can walk out of the dentist office with your veneers that day.
They will then repeat the process for your remaining veneers. After your veneers are attached, you are then ready to go home. Your dentist may suggest coming back for a follow up appointment to ensure the fit is still good and your mouth is adjusting to the veneers.
Caring for veneers is easy by maintaining proper oral health. Make sure you’re brushing twice a day for two minutes and flossing at least once a day. You’ll also want to make sure you’re using a mouthwash after you brush as well. Seeing your dentist at least two times a year for a check up is strongly recommended.
It is important to avoid external factors, such as smoking, drinking sugary or carbonated beverages, and snacking on carbohydrates and sticky foods.
If you’ve had damage to your teeth either through an accidental trauma, or are experiencing tooth decay, one of the ways you can get the use of your teeth back is with a dental crown. A crown, unlike a veneer, is designed to cap and cover your entire tooth. It may be helpful to think of them as like a helmet for your damaged or decaying tooth. When you get crowns, you are protecting your tooth from further damage, as well as restoring the shape of your tooth so that you do not lose your bite functionality. Crowns are also an easy way to get back the appearance of symmetry in your mouth, giving you back your confident smile again.
Because a crown covers your entire tooth, your dentist will need to file or grind down your tooth so that the crown can fit snugly over it. If you need a crown due to decaying teeth, your dentist will remove the decay to ensure that the tooth is protected and provide a better fit.
While a lot of patients need crowns to cover their entire tooth, there are such things as onlays or ¾ crowns that do not cover your entire tooth. If your dentist decides this is the type of crown you need, you can expect to keep more of your underlying natural tooth. This type of procedure will leave you with a crown that encompasses part of your tooth.
If you’re going to get a crown, your dentist will discuss options you have as far as materials. Which you choose to go with will depend on your particular situation, and the dentist will prescribe the material that best suits you and your specific needs.
If crowns sound like something that you might be interested in, it’s important to know that there are a variety of benefits to them.
Crowns are designed to cap your entire tooth. This means if you have damaged teeth due to trauma or decay, they can be just the option you need. If your dentist decides that putting a crown on your damaged tooth is the right option, they will file the natural tooth and clean it in preparation for a crown. Once the crown is placed, you can go back to eating and smiling like normal again.
The crown strengthens the previously damaged tooth and allows you to have normal functionality of your mouth again.
If you have a decaying tooth, your dentist may decide that after a root canal, it is best to place a crown. A crown will protect what is left of the tooth and prevent any additional bacteria from entering the vulnerable tooth and protect it from breakage.
If one or more of your teeth has experienced decay in the past, that makes them a good candidate for a crown and will help prevent it from developing additional decay.
Crowns are also an option if you need a cosmetic fix. Whether you’ve been dealing with a chipped tooth, or teeth that are misaligned, your dentist can use crowns to even out your smile. Crowns are also helpful if you have a gap between your teeth. To do this, the crowns will encase your smaller teeth, making them bigger and closing the gap.
Another one of the many benefits of crowns is that they are considered mostly permanent when compared to fillings or onlays. While some crown materials may be more durable than others, on the whole, this type of tooth restoration method is considered stable and secure, and will give you back your confidence and your smile.
If crowns seem like they could be the right option for you, it is still helpful to go over some of their disadvantages.
When you and your dentist have decided that a crown would be the best type of tooth restoration, they will begin the process by:
Once they are prepared, or finished drilling, your dentist will use a temporary crown to ensure proper fit and color. When the crown returns from the lab and they are satisfied that everything is correct, they will attach the permanent crown to your natural tooth.
Crowns are very low maintenance, and as long as you brush twice a day, floss once a day, and visit your dentist for checkups, you should be fine. However, you should be cautious with harder foods if you have porcelain crowns so you do not chip them.
The care of a crown is nearly identical to the care of a veneer. They are never as strong as your natural tooth once was, so additional care in eating softer foods and avoiding using your teeth as tools is critical.
In order to decide which is best for you, you’ll need to have a consultation with a dentist. Veneers require less of your natural tooth to be ground down, so if you’re looking for more cosmetic results, this could be the best option.
However, if you need to protect and restore damaged or decayed teeth, you may opt to go for the full coverage that a crown can provide.
If you want to discuss these tooth restoration methods in more detail, contact your Aspen Dental dentist.
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