If you worry about the health and appearance of your teeth, your dentist can provide treatment to enhance them in a number of ways. They can evaluate your smile to find a dental solution that will suit your specific needs and achieve your unique oral health goals.
The dentist can improve your dental health by attaching special ceramic caps to the teeth. Two of these types of caps include dental crowns and porcelain veneers. While their structures seem similar, they are designed with separate purposes in mind. Read on to learn more about how these two dental fixtures compare to one another.
Restore Dental Structure with Crowns
Dental crowns are custom-made ceramic caps that fit over an entire tooth. They are restorative dental treatments, meaning a dentist will use them for damaged teeth that need improvement in their structure and health. For instance, they can help a fractured tooth or one that lost a significant amount of enamel.
A dentist must remove a minute amount of the tooth’s enamel to make room for a dental crown. They take impressions of the patient’s mouth in order to build a crown that fits comfortably and securely. When ready, they seal the custom crown over the vulnerable tooth with dental cement for a long-lasting fit.
With proper care, the durable material and secure bonding can mean the crown stays in place for fifteen years or longer. You can improve the shape of your teeth as well as prevent further dental damage with this treatment.
These fixtures are not indestructible though. You can chew and speak normally. But abnormal pressure from biting on hard objects, for instance, could hurt your dental work. Take care of your smile and your crowns to get the most out of your treatment.
Though known for restorative dental benefits, a crown can enhance the look of your teeth too. The crown is custom-made, so the dentist can also factor in your aesthetic goals when making the fixture. It can then cover stubborn stains, brightening your smile.
Improve Smile Appearance with Veneers
Porcelain veneers refer to a cosmetic dental treatment that uses cap-like shells adhered to the front of a patient’s teeth to build a better-looking smile. Like crowns, dentists make veneers on a custom basis, meaning you can expect fixtures that look both gorgeous and natural according to your specific smile aesthetic goals.
The dentist must etch into the enamel of the teeth to prepare the surface to receive veneers. Then when the custom veneers are ready, the dentist attaches them to the teeth using dental bonding. As with crowns, you will need more than one appointment with your dentist to complete this treatment.
Then you can see a brighter, straighter, and fuller smile that will endure for fifteen years or more with good oral health care. The veneers resist staining for long-lasting smile enhancement. They can also protect your dental health by covering vulnerable spots on the front of a patient’s teeth.