If you have cracked, chipped, or worn-down teeth, you have two options that can help your fix these imperfections—dental crowns and veneers.
Although both of these dental restorations can repair your teeth and fix the smile, they are different in design. This means you need to know the difference between them before choosing dental crowns or veneers near you. In this post, we highlight some of the key differences between crowns and veneers.
What are Veneers and Crowns?
Both crowns and veneers work by covering an existing tooth to improve the appearance and function of the teeth. The primary difference between veneers and crowns is the thickness of the material, how much of the enamel is removed, and the part of the tooth covered.
Dental veneers are made of wafer-thin porcelain or composite and bonded on top of the enamel. The porcelain veneers are the most common options as they resemble your natural teeth’ color.
Composite veneers can be crafted to look like your natural teeth, but are not as durable.
Because of the thin material used, veneers are a bit brittle, compared to crowns, and using sharp objects can dislodge or crack them.
Dental crowns are thicker than the veneers and usually encase the whole tooth. They are available in resin, porcelain, metals, or a combination of both.
How Much Tooth is Removed?
Veneers are a bit conservative when it comes to teeth preparation. Our dentist in Shavertown, PA will remove a thin layer of the enamel from the front part of the tooth to enable the veneers to bond correctly.
The dental crowns need around 60 percent of the tooth removed to make room for the crowns.
When Are Veneers the Better Option?
When you have relatively minor to moderate dental problems, the dentist may recommend you get veneers in Shavertown, PA. These thin shells are an excellent option if you have severely discolored teeth or have minor cracks and chips. Small gaps between the teeth can also be corrected with dental veneers.
When Are the Crowns Used Over Veneers?
Dental crowns are an ideal option when you have severe dental problems like badly chipped, cracked, or broken teeth. The dentist will use the dental crowns to keep the teeth intact and to prevent further damage.
The crowns are also a great option when you suffer from bruxism and the edge of the teeth is damaged due to grinding. The veneers only cover the front part of the teeth, not the surface.
The dentist may also recommend dental crowns for teeth straightening or after a root canal treatment to restore the strength of the teeth.
What is the Procedure?
Fixing the veneers and crowns are almost similar. The procedure begins with examination and planning. The dentist will do a comprehensive dental assessment to check the condition of your teeth and jaw bone.
The teeth are reshaped to make room for the veneers or crown. For the veneers, only a thin layer is taken off to make it easy for the veneers to bond. In the case of crowns, the dentist will trim the crown down to the desired size.
Except for the composite veneers, the dentist will take a dental cast of your teeth and gums to make the veneers or crown. composite veneers are made at the dental office on the same day as your appointment.
It can take a couple of weeks to get the dental restorations back, so the dentist will cover the teeth with temporary veneers or crowns.
On the second dental visit, the temporary fixtures are replaced with permanent ones. The dentist will examine the color of the veneers and bond them on the teeth using a special block of cement.
Maintaining Your Smile?
Both veneers and crowns resemble your teeth and as such, they do not need any special instructions. It is, however, important to protect your veneer teeth from damage by not biting hard objects. Also, limit your consumption of staining foods like wine, coffee, tea, and soy sauce.
Final Thought
The choice of choosing crowns or veneers will depend on the condition and severity of your dental problem. Visit Back Mountain Dental for an assessment and discussion on the pros and cons of each treatment.
