A New Smile Was the Best Investment of My Life

Composite Or Porcelain? Which Veneers Are Right For You?P

10 September 2015

Oscar Allen

Are you unhappy with the appearance of your teeth? Are they crooked, stained, or misaligned? Fixing crooked teeth can be costly and time-consuming and may require years of orthodontic work. Another option you may want to consider is using veneers. Veneers are a dental tool that can instantly change the appearance of your teeth. The procedure involves bonding a thin layer of material to the outside of your teeth to give them a completely new appearance. Veneers are meant to be long-term and even permanent dental solutions, so it's important that you choose the type of veneer that's important for you. Here are two of the most common types of veneers:

Composite veneers

Composite veneers are made in the dentist's office from a mixture of engineered resin. The dentist mixes the composite, applies it over your existing teeth, and then polishes the resin to give it a natural look. Composite veneers usually require only one visit since everything is done in the office.

There are a few advantages to composite veneers. They're often less expensive than the other type, porcelain veneers. They also may be able to be removed should they ever become damaged in the future. Also, during the procedure, the dentist may not have to scrape the enamel off your natural teeth to bond the veneers, which means your teeth may not suffer much damage.

Of course, there are a few important considerations. The quality of your composite veneers will depend on the skill of your dentist in mixing and applying the resin. It's very much an art form, so make sure your dentist has experience. Also, the resin material is porous, so it's possible for substances like coffee and wine to stain your new composite veneers.

Porcelain veneers

Porcelain veneers are an alternative that can be extremely lifelike and durable. They're made in a lab, so they often require multiple visits. In the first visit, the dentist will inspect and size your teeth. Then he or she will order the veneers from a lab before installing them during a second or third session. During the installation of the veneers, the dentist will likely need to scrape your teeth enamel and apply a bonding compound. That makes it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to have the veneers removed at any point in the future.

The biggest advantages of porcelain veneers is that they offer a realistic, natural appearance. They are also resistant to chipping and stains. However, they can be more expensive than composite veneers and they could do more damage to your natural teeth.

For more information, contact Aaron G Birch, DDS PC or a similar dental professional.

Share