Porcelain veneers and dental bonding are both dental procedures. Each procedure is used to improve the look of a patient’s smile. People choose porcelain veneers or bonding in order to hide imperfections in the teeth. However, the two dental procedures are different in regards to the materials used and the pricing. This article will give you some things to consider when weighing the choice between bonding vs. veneers.
What is Tooth Bonding?
What Is Tooth Bonding Used For?
People who have cracked, chipped or discolored teeth use teeth bonding to improve the look of the teeth. Teeth bonding can be used on multiple teeth at once. It is a procedure in which the dentist applies a hard material called resin to your teeth. The resin can be used to close small gaps between teeth. Tooth bonding can also be used to make a tooth the same size as those around it.
What Happens During the Teeth Bonding Procedure?
The teeth bonding procedure is a simple one and can be done in about an hour. In most cases, people aren’t put under anesthesia. The dentist begins by matching the shade of the resin to the shade of your tooth. An exact match may not be possible, but a close shade can be selected.
The dentist will put a material on the tooth to bond the resin to the tooth. The next step is to apply the resin over the liquid bonding material. The resin is used to shape and mold the tooth with the help of an ultraviolet light.
How to Maintain Tooth Bonding
You should care for your bonded teeth just as you would your regular teeth. Brush your teeth twice each day. Floss daily. Get dental cleanings about twice per year.
The teeth bonding material used is not as durable as your natural tooth’s surface. Therefore, the resin can crack. To reduce your chances of cracking your teeth, avoid hard candy and other foods. Do not bite your nails. Avoid chewing on hard materials such as pens or ice.
What Are Dental Veneers?
What Are Veneers Used For?
Dental veneers are small, thin pieces of porcelain. They are cemented onto your teeth to improve the teeth’s appearance. Veneers are used to fix a variety of problems. For instance, those who smoke or drink coffee might have stained teeth. Placing veneers over the teeth can brighten the teeth’s color.
Another use for veneers is to fix gapped or crooked teeth. Veneers can be placed over teeth to close smaller gaps. They can also be used to hide minor problems with teeth, such as teeth that are slightly crooked.
Tooth enamel is both strong and durable. However, it can wear down. Your tooth enamel can become defective when you smoke or eat certain acidic foods. Tooth enamel, once lost, does not grow back. Some people get veneers to cover natural teeth that are losing or lacking enamel.
What Happens During the Procedure?
The dentist will make a mold of your teeth. This is done so that the veneers will fit snugly and comfortably onto your natural teeth. The dentist will lightly grind the natural teeth in order to create a rougher surface on the teeth. This allows the veneer to be easily bonded to the tooth. The veneer is stuck to the tooth using cement. An ultraviolet light dries the cement quickly.
Veneers are only placed on problem teeth. Therefore, the only teeth treated are the ones that you’re getting the veneers attached to. Veneers only cover the front surface of your teeth. They do not cover the entire surface of the tooth the way that a crown does.
You should care for your veneers in the same way that you do