Dental crowns and veneers are special dental restoration procedures used to enhance the aesthetic appeal of teeth. They are however, not the same thing.
It is common for the cosmetic team at An Dental to always get questions from patients who think that dental crowns and veneers are the same. Even though they perform the same role, which is to enhance your dental aesthetic appeal, they’re two completely different things.
In today’s blog post, we clarify the differences between these two dental restoration procedures. The defining difference between crowns and veneers is that crowns are designed to cover the whole tooth. On the other hand, veneers are designed to cover just the front of your tooth.
Depending on your preferences, your cosmetic dentist can apply the veneers or dental crows on your front teeth. They can be used in restoring;
- Crooked teeth
- Discolored teeth
- Decayed or loosened teeth
- Chipped, broken, or even cracked teeth
Which is Better, Crowns, or Veneers?
It doesn’t really matter whether you prefer the dental crown or veneers. Irrespective of your choice, the ones that you will choose will color-match your teeth. The only exception is with all-metal dental crowns that may not color-match your teeth.
In determining which option is better, your decision may be influenced by the condition to restore. For example, if you have a root canal, a cracked tooth, or a large filling on your teeth, a dental crown would be the best option for you.
Alternatively, if your teeth are all intact and you’re basically doing the restoration to enhance your teeth’ aesthetic appeal, having a dental veneer would be recommended as the best option for you. You may also use veneers to correct minor shape defaults. Summarized below are the pros and cons of crowns vs. veneers.
Dental Crown Pros
- It covers the entire tooth. Since dental crowns cover the whole tooth, they serve more than just one purpose. They come with aesthetic appeal and protect your teeth against cavities as well.
- They’re natural. If you use the porcelain crowns, they look like and feel just like natural teeth. This implies that someone may not know outright that you’ve used dental crowns.
- Insurance. Most people also prefer dental crowns because of insurance. If you’ve bought a dental insurance plan, it may partially cover the cost of getting a dental crown.
- They are designed to stand the test of time. If you had dentures, for example, you would have to keep on removing them for cleaning. On the other hand, getting a dental crown is more of a permanent fix, as you won’t have to remove them continually.
Dental Crowns Cons
- It’s a bit abrasive. When installing the crowns, your dentist will have to ‘trim off’ a significantly large portion of the target teeth to create enough space for applying the crown.
- Increased teeth sensitivity. The preparation process for installing the crown may make the crowned teeth to have increased sensitivity to cold and heat. It is also possible to experience some pain in the gums, and doctors recommend that you book a follow-up visit with the dentist if the sensitivity increases.
- You may notice a slight irregularity. The porcelain fused to metal alloy (PFM) dental crowns are known to leave a thin dark line visible between the crown and natural teeth where they’re applied.
- Fragility. Porcelain is a fragile material. This implies that it is prone to damage and can be broken over time.
Dental Veneer Pros
- No irregularity. When compared to the dental crowns, the veneers may be preferable and more appealing because they don’t leave any gum margins after several years, something which is common with the crowns.
- Lesser movement. If you use veneers, the teeth will have minimal movement.
- You retain most of the teeth. There veneers that won’t need a lot of trimming to prepare your teeth for the procedure. Some people prefer this because it ensures that you retain most of your natural teeth.
Dental Veneer Cons
- Insurance. As compared to dental crowns, where your dental insurance may cover some of the payment, the dental veneers are, in most cases, not covered by insurance.
- The decay risk. With veneers, an extensive area of the covered tooth will be left exposed to new tooth decay.
- You cannot reverse this procedure.
- It May not last long enough. A perfect example here is the composite veneers. Even though they’re slightly less costly, they may be viable for just 5 or 7 years. Of course, there are a few materials that can last longer than this, but you may have to replace them still.
Wrapping Up
Both crowns and veneers serve one major purpose, but then your choice may be determined by your long term goal and probably the type of fix you need. Before the procedure, feel free to ask as many questions as possible, so you make an informed decision.
If you need any help deciding or getting any of these procedures, call us today or visit our dental cosmetic clinics. We’ll help you compare the procedures side by side to find the best solution for you.
