If you want to replace weakened tooth enamel or enhance the look of your teeth, your dentist can employ several types of treatments to restore your smile. Two of these possible dental solutions both use ceramic caps that fit over the affected teeth: dental crowns and porcelain veneers.
Though veneers and crowns have comparable makeups, their purposes differ significantly. Your dentist can let you know which of these treatments will suit your unique scenario when you schedule a dental consultation. Read on to see more similarities and differences between these two dental fixtures and their procedures.
Restore Tooth Structure with Dental Crowns
A dental crown is a custom-made ceramic shell that fits over the entire surface of the tooth. It seals into place with dental cement, ensuring a long-lasting hold that will serve as protection for a vulnerable tooth. Dentists employ this tool to restore damaged dental structures, improving the function, health, and appearance of the tooth.
Though known for its restorative properties, the dental crown can have aesthetic benefits as well. Dentists construct each crown on an individual basis for their patients. This results in a secure and comfortable fit that will also look both gorgeous and natural in the smile.
The procedure involves removing a minute amount of enamel from the tooth to make room for the cap. The dentist gives you a local anesthetic to numb the area so that you do not feel discomfort during this process. Placing and sealing the crown will not hurt either.
The crown will remain in place for fifteen years or longer with proper care and maintenance. Follow aftercare guidelines from your dentist to ensure you get the most out of this treatment. Though durable, the crown is not indestructible, so be careful with your new dental fixture.
Improve Smile Appearance with Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers refer to a cosmetic dental solution in which a dentist attaches custom shells to the front of a patient’s teeth. They use tooth bonding to secure them into place. These will make the smile appear straighter, whiter, and fuller according to the patient’s unique aesthetic goals.
Dentists must prepare the surface of your teeth for this treatment by etching into the enamel. But as with dental crowns, you will receive an anesthetic to prevent discomfort. And you will not feel pain as the dentist uses resin from bonding to seal the veneers to the teeth.
Veneers provide lasting cosmetic dental benefits, staying attached for about fifteen years with adequate at-home and in-office dental care. They resist staining so that they will continue to look their best for so long, but they will need some maintenance to keep this gorgeous finish.
The veneers can also improve your oral health too, even though they are designed with aesthetic purposes in mind. They can simplify your oral hygiene routine and shield weak spots in your teeth from further dental harm. Learn which treatment will best suit your oral health goals by meeting with your dentist.