Сrowns vs Veneers: Most Tooth-Saving Treatment

Even if you care for your teeth with a perseverance worthy of admiration, at a certain point in your life, your smile might crave a complete upgrade like in the “Pimp My Ride” television series. Before asking your “Xzibit” (a well-trained dentist) for tooth restoration, read our post about crowns vs veneers. This can save you time at a dental appointment, as we’ll speak about their peculiarities, purposes, and differences. You’ll understand which dental option is safer for your pearly whites.

Key Difference Between Сrowns and Veneers

The main difference between these dental treatments lies in their purposes:

• Dental crowns are restorative “caps” that cover the entire tooth to restore its natural size, shape, and functionality. Made from porcelain, porcelain fused to a metal alloy, or an all-metal alloy, they are perfect for damaged, decayed, or weakened teeth. A crown restores both the aesthetic and functional characteristics of a patient’s tooth.

• Veneers are mainly meant for aesthetic improvement. These thin porcelain shells cover the front tooth surface, fixing discoloration, minor gaps, or chips between teeth.

Despite the difference, crowns and veneers have something in common: they can cover dental issues a plain filling can’t fix. These treatments look like natural teeth, benefiting your smile and overall dental health.

Which Option Is More Invasive?

Before we proceed to the safety matters, let’s discover what aspects are involved with getting crowns and veneers. This will help you decide which treatment is the best fit for your teeth.

Procedure of getting a veneer

1. A dentist trims about 0,02 inches of the front tooth enamel so its surface can firmly bond to a veneer. Your tooth should have enough enamel to securely hold a veneer. 

2. The dentist digitally scans your tooth or uses a mold to create its impression. Sometimes dental offices make an impression on-site, but you might have to wait for some time when it’s done in a separate lab.

3. In certain cases, you might need a temporary veneer until the new one is ready.

4. When a permanent veneer is primed, the doctor bonds it to the tooth with a special cement. Then they harden it with an ultraviolet lamp.

5. The dentist might prescribe a mouthguard to protect your new veneer at night if you clench your teeth.

Process of getting a crown

1. A dentist removes the decayed part of a tooth if it is damaged. Sometimes, they might need to build up your tooth to support a dental crown.

2. The doctor digitally scans the processed tooth or makes a mold to produce the impression. 

3. While you wait for a permanent crown, you may get a temporary one to take advantage of your tooth functionality.

4. The doctor places the permanent crown on your tooth, ensuring it fits accordingly and cementing it into place.

5. Your bite might slightly change since a tooth with a dental crown can somewhat move. In this case, the dentist will adjust the crown.

As you can see, veneers are less invasive than crowns. They only cover the front tooth surface, so more of your original tooth is left intact.

Crowns cover the entire tooth, so a dentist needs to ground down more of the tooth surface to adjust the crown perfectly.

However, you can’t ultimately restore your tooth strength and functionality with veneers. They only work with tooth appearance. Consider a veneer as a tooth permanent makeup, and a crown — an aesthetic dental prosthesis. Besides, with crowns, your tooth is more safeguarded from further decay.

Veneers vs Сrowns: What Is Your Right Fit?

When so many Americans boast dazzling smiles, it might be challenging to resist the temptation and not follow the fashion. However, you should always consider your tooth condition, unique dental needs, and budget. An honest dentist won’t grind all your teeth because most of your friends have already gotten veneers. They will prioritize your oral health in the first place.

You might need veneers for minor shape corrections and aesthetic purposes. They effectively improve the look of teeth that are:

• unevenly spaced;

• chipped or broken;

• stained‌;

• irregularly shaped.

When your tooth is substantially decayed or cracked, you might opt for a crown. Crowns are best for such teeth:

• weak or severely damaged;

• cracked, broken, or worn out;

• discolored. 

Besides, crowns efficiently hold a dental bridge in place‌ and are indispensable after dental implantation.

Ready for a Tooth Makeover?

Now that you know about the intricacies of veneer and crown placement, you can thoughtfully decide which option suits your needs. These are two treatments with different purposes, which converge in aesthetic advantages. If you have any doubts, a dental “Xzibit” from vipdentalny.com or any other clinic you trust can help clarify all your concerns. Remember to always put the health of your pearly whites in the first place: when you lose one, your organism won't manage to regrow it, like with milk teeth.