When you’ve discovered that you’re going to need dental work done to restore a damaged tooth or manage decay, you’re going to learn that there are a lot more options out there than you might have expected. As you start searching you’ve probably been experiencing a deluge of new terms, Invisalign, bridges, crowns, veneers, fillings, and countless more. Now that you’ve narrowed it down to realizing you need either crowns or veneers, you’re probably still wondering how to determine which is what you need.
It Comes Down To Thickness
Porcelain Veneers are a primarily cosmetic solution to your dental needs, though they can be used to correct minor issues like cracking and chipping. As a result, they’re very thin, just one millimeter in thickness at most, and require the removal of a very thin layer of enamel to place them. Crowns, on the other hand, are quite thick as they involve stripping a tooth down to its core and then replacing it almost in its entirety with a prosthetic tooth.
So What’s A Veneer For?
Veneers are typically used as a cosmetic treatment for discoloration that whitening can’t fix, minor cracks or chips, or minor misalignments such as light overlapping. They lack the durability of crowns as they aren’t used for replacing whole teeth, but their stain resistance makes them an excellent solution for those looking for a pearly white smile. Some care must be taken with them as they can be dislodged or fractured under sufficient stress.
And Dental Crowns?
Dental crowns are used in cases where the tooth is severely damaged or decayed and needs to be replaced almost in its entirety. Made out of a durable ceramic they have a natural appearance and are capable of withstanding the abuse of chewing, grinding, clenching teeth, and biting with ease. When a tooth needs to be fully restored a Dental Crown is often the right choice.
Where Do They CrossOver?
It mostly has to do with how and why they’re applied. In some cases, a relatively deep amount of grinding will be necessary to apply a veneer properly, and veneers are sometimes used to correct minor misalignments. Crowns are always used for the purposes of restoring teeth, and this can include correcting misalignments, and in some cases, a relatively small amount of material needs to be removed to apply a crown. In both cases the end goal of the dentist is the same, to give you a clean and beautiful smile you can be proud of that’s full of functional teeth.
If you have any further questions about these two restorative techniques or want to schedule an appointment with a dentist to begin your journey to a great smile, call Dr. Xiaofeng Wang today. Forest Hill Family Dental has been serving the Kitchener, ON area with pride and distinction, providing exceptional dental care to the families of the area. Don’t let an imperfect smile be a mark of embarrassment for you, pick up the phone and schedule an appointment today!