Crowns vs Veneers

CROWNS VS VENEERS

Today we’re gonna talk about the difference between crowns and veneers.

In our practice, we usually get this question ” what is the difference between veneers and crowns? ”

It is normal that we get this question a lot because these are the two ways that we restore teeth.

Let’s start with Dental Crown,

A crown is also known as a “cap”.

Basically, a crown restores a damaged or missing tooth to its normal shape, size and function. A crown can protect the tooth.

Crowns are usually used after root canal treatment or where you’ve got a very large restoration in the tooth. Essentially with a crown, you need to file down all the sides of the tooth so, it’s 360 degree preparation of the tooth. The crown goes over the top of the tooth. Plus, crowns are very durable and strong.

There are options for crowns.

You can have metal crowns which need less preparation. They look metallic and made of either silver or gold.

Or you can have porcelain crowns which need more preparation to the tooth. But aesthetically more pleasing. The options for porcelain crowns are Emax and Zirconia.

You can see on all different sides, it kind of wraps around the tooth.

Top of the crown would look very similar to the top of a natural tooth.

When it comes to Veneers:

Dental veneers are wafer-thin, custom-made shells of tooth-colored materials designed to cover the front surface of teeth to improve your appearance. Veneers tend to go on the front teeth. Mostly in the smile line. Sometimes, we even have no preparation for veneers depending on the situation.

You may need veneers because of the discolored tooth or large fillings.

There are options for veneers. You can get composite or porcelain veneers.

Composite veneers need less preparation but they’re not as strong as porcelain veneers.

Composite veneers last up to 5 years.

Porcelain veneers last longer about 10 years which is twice higher and they are tend to be stronger.

If you are interested in changing up your smile and improving your smile, veneers are usually the choice.

We need much less reduction and much less tooth removal for veneers.

If the tooth structure is mostly saved for dentists, then it is one of the biggest advantage of veneer opposed to a crown.

One huge advantage of a veneer over natural teeth is that veneers don’t stain.

Like coffee, tea, wine, anything that would normally stain teeth, doesn’t stain a veneer.

So that’s kind of a nice benefit. But this should not stop you bleaching your teeth.

You must also bear in mind that everything has a life span. Even with veneers, they may need to be renewed after a certain period of time in the case of gums recede around the veneers.

To sum up, crowns are for more of a cavity fix, more of a structural issue to the tooth.

And a veneer more for cosmetic, changing the shape or look permanently.

 

Don’t forget to keep smiling