Dental Bonding Vs. Veneers: Which Cosmetic Procedure Is Best For You?
Unattractive teeth can make you feel embarrassed about your smile, not to mention that gaped or broken teeth can trap food particles, making chewing uncomfortable. There are numerous dental cosmetic procedures available that can help make dramatic improvements to the aesthetics and function of your teeth, so there is no need to live with the insecurity of damaged teeth.
Dental bonding and veneers are both cosmetic treatments used to enhance the look and function of imperfect teeth, but there are differences in the procedures, materials and the exact type of damage they can be used to fix. Here is a look at both procedures to help you decide which could be the best for you:
Dental bonding
This is a restorative cosmetic procedure used to make minor repairs to damaged teeth. Your dentist uses a composite resin material to fill gaps between teeth, fill up chipped teeth or cover up discolored teeth. The composite resin in shaped and placed on a damaged tooth before being bonded to the tooth surface using light.
Bonding can also be used on broken teeth to restore their size, or painted over a stained tooth to make it resemble your other teeth. A major advantage of bonding is that is a cheap, non-invasive procedure that can clear imperfections on your teeth in one simple dental visit. After the composite resin is attached to your damaged tooth, the tooth will look natural and smooth.
The main drawback of dental bonding is that is not very durable. The material used for bonding is easily chipped under pressure, so the tooth might get chipped while chewing hard objects such as pens, hard candy or even fingernails. The procedure is also limited in terms of the damage it can fix, and is only suitable for minor repairs.
Severely broken or gaped teeth can be problematic to repair using dental bonding. Bonding material can also get easily stained by tea, coffee or smoking especially in the days following the procedure.
Dental veneers
These are thin porcelain shells that are placed on the surface of damaged teeth. These cosmetic devices are very effective at covering large gaps between teeth, covering up crooked, chipped or broken teeth and can also mask discolorations on tooth enamel.
As a restorative option, veneers are more durable than bonding, and can also withstand more pressure than bonding material when chewing. Veneers are resistant to staining but have to be brushed so as to maintain their gloss.
The downside to veneers is that they are complicated and costly to install, as the dentist has to remove part of the enamel on the damaged tooth so as to create space for the porcelain shells. This means that patients with too little enamel left cannot get veneers. The procedure also required at least three dental visits over several weeks, making it complex.
To learn more, contact a professional like Richard M Holmes DMD PA with any questions or concerns you have.