If you have concerns about the way your teeth appear and function, your dentist can evaluate your oral health to find the best solution to achieve your wellness and aesthetic goals. Your dentist can provide you with custom-made fixtures that adhere to the teeth, including porcelain veneers and dental crowns.
Though both of these types of dental work involve ceramic caps, they differ when it comes to their purposes in your smile. Your dentist can identify how each of these fixtures can help your unique smile when you schedule a dental consultation.
But you might feel more comfortable receiving this dental work when you know more about it. Read on to learn more about the similarities and differences between these two dental treatments and fixtures.
Restore Tooth Structure with a Dental Crown
A dental crown is a custom-made ceramic cap built to fit over the entire surface of your tooth. It is specifically designed as a restorative dental tool with a variety of uses to enhance the health and function of a damaged tooth.
The dentist must shave a minute amount of enamel from the tooth to make room for this cap. Then they seal the crown into place with dental cement. The durable material with this strong bonding ensures that the fixture can stay on the tooth for a long time without interfering with eating and speaking.
The dental crown can last for fifteen years or longer with proper care. If you do sustain damage to the crown, tell your dentist right away or the tooth could suffer further harm.
The crown can replace weakened tooth enamel, heal a fractured tooth, serve as a prosthetic tooth for a single dental implant, treat advanced tooth decay, and more. In fact, the personalized make of a dental crown means that the fixture can also serve aesthetic purposes.
The dentist can make a crown with your preferred size, shape, and color so that you can improve the look of your tooth as well. Learn more about the benefits of a dental crown and if it will serve your unique oral health goals by scheduling a dental appointment today.
Achieve Smile Aesthetic Goals with Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers also feature caps that attach to the teeth, but they differ from dental crowns in several ways. First of all, veneers cover the front of a tooth rather than the entire surface. Also, veneers are specifically a cosmetic dental treatment, meaning they work to enhance the smile’s appearance.
Veneers are built on an individualized basis just like crowns. Dentists create veneers so that they achieve smile aesthetic goals while also fitting securely and comfortably to the patient’s teeth. This ensures maximum longevity from the dental work.
Placing veneers is similar to dental crowns as well. The dentist etches into tooth enamel to prepare the teeth. Then they use composite resin bonding to seal veneers to the front of the teeth.
They can last for fifteen years with appropriate maintenance. And while dentists use veneers for smile enhancement, they can come with a number of oral health benefits as well. Discover details when you speak with your dentist.