Porcelain Veneers and Crowns Benefits
Porcelain veneers and crowns offer the most life-like restoration option for crooked, worn or chipped teeth. Excellent aesthetics, shape and translucency can be achieved and they also provide the best in strength and bonding to natural tooth structure. Crowns and veneers offer different benefits, so which one should you choose?
Veneers
A porcelain veneer is a thin layer of porcelain bonded to the front surface and edge of your natural tooth and may be suitable to restore or to change the shape of your tooth. A porcelain veneer can be manufactured very thin and can often be placed with minimal preparation of your natural tooth.
As well as changing the shape, the veneer can be made whiter than your natural teeth and can mask blotches or markings. We have great control over how we ‘design’ your new teeth.
Crowns
A porcelain crown is manufactured to look the same as a porcelain veneer. The main difference is that a crown covers all surfaces of the tooth. A crown may be recommended if:
- the tooth is heavily filled
- greater shape changes are required
- we need to change the way your teeth meet
- you have a strong bite
Composite Fillings and Veneers
There are some times where simple white filling material is sufficient to address your aesthetic concerns. White composite resin filling material is stronger than ever, it maintains its colour over the years and can be polished to be very smooth and shiny.
Composite resin can be used successfully for:
- replacement of old discoloured fillings
- restoration of small to moderate sized fractures
- masking mild discolouration
Composite resin veneers can also be built up to change the shape and shade of your teeth, much like a porcelain veneer. Composite veneers cost less and are quicker to place than porcelain veneers but are not as strong and while their aesthetics are good, they may not match that of porcelain. More long term maintenance is required.
