Which Lasts Longer: Dental Veneers or Dental Crowns?
What Are Dental Veneers?
They are tooth-shaped and tooth-colored oral appliances that repair and restore natural teeth from the front. Usually, dental veneers are a cosmetic solution for elevating teeth’ color, size, shape, and spacing.
What Are Dental Crowns?
They are tooth-shaped and tooth-colored oral caps that replace damaged tooth enamels to restore functionality. At Tahoe Dentist, we use dental crowns with the versatility to strengthen, contour, and repair teeth.
Difference Between Dental Veneers and Dental Crowns
Many people easily get dental crowns and veneers mixed up. Agreeably, oral veneers and crowns can appear the same when on your teeth. However, the two oral appliances are different. Some of the differences between dental crowns and veneers are:
- Coverage – dental veneers only cover the front surfaces of teeth, while dental crowns encapsulate the entire tooth. Therefore, teeth crowns can be called dental caps, but oral veneers cannot.
- Preparation – for both dental crowns and veneers, a dentist in South Lake Tahoe must prepare your tooth before installation. The process entails shaving the tooth enamel to create space for the oral appliance. Dentists prepare only the front side of your teeth when installing dental veneers instead of the whole tooth, which is typical for dental crowns.
Which Of The Two Lasts Longer?
Dental veneers and crowns are generally made from similar materials. The most popular material for restorative oral appliances is porcelain. There is hardly a difference between the durability of dental veneers to crowns, particularly when they feature similar materials. Usually, porcelain crowns and veneers last between 10 to 15 years. Excellent oral care measures can help extend longevity to about 20 years.
However, patients with dental crowns are more likely to have them intact longer than those with dental veneers. The reason is that a dental crown encapsulates a tooth well, lowering the chances of dislodging it compared to an oral veneer.
Do Celebrities Get Dental Veneers or Dental Crowns?
It is hard to distinctively know what all celebrities get for their smiles. However, more celebrities are likely to get dental veneers instead of dental crowns because of the primary goal of improving aesthetics. Most of them only seek beautiful teeth to complement their general appearances.
Which Treatment Is Suitable for You?
Just because celebrities prefer a particular treatment does not mean you should too. Instead, consider the things that matter most to you before deciding.
Besides, choosing between oral veneers and dental crowns in South Lake Tahoe is only overwhelming if you are doing it alone. Instead, you should solicit help from a dental expert near you to choose the treatment best suited for your needs. Besides, you must factor in the different attributes before you permanently alter your teeth. Some factors to consider are:
- Invasiveness of the procedure – getting dental crowns is more invasive than dental veneers.
- Tooth strength – a strong tooth does not require extra reinforcement. However, you may need a dental crown if your tooth is worn down, cracked, broken, or generally weak.
- Location of restoration – dentists typically recommend dental crowns for restoring the back teeth and dental veneers for your front teeth.
- The core function of the treatment – the primary role of a dental veneer near you is to improve your teeth’ appearance. Meanwhile, a dental crown works to improve oral functionality by strengthening a natural tooth’s structure.
How to Get the Best Out of Your Treatment
Regardless of your preference, both dental crowns and veneers will transform your smile. Some tips to ensure you get the best out of your treatment are:
- Keep your teeth clean – it will prevent staining your porcelain restoration, which cannot be whitened.
- Visit your dentist routinely – dental cleanings and checkups help you keep tabs on your oral health.
- Wear a mouthguard – when engaging in intense physical activity, a mouthguard protects your teeth from fractures.
- Seek treatment for bruxism – excessive teeth grinding and clenching at night damages teeth. If you have dental crowns or veneers, they will chip and crack over time.
- Mind your habits – abandon habits like fingernail biting, smoking, and chewing hard non-food items.