Dental Crowns vs. Veneers: What’s the Difference?

Everyone wants a smile that’s strong, confident, and healthy. Over the course of our life though, our teeth can sustain some damage.

If you wish your smile was straighter, brighter, or free from damaged teeth, you might be looking at crowns and veneers. But what exactly are they? What do they treat?

Let’s take a quick look at dental crowns and veneers, and exactly what the difference is.

Dental Crowns: What Are They?

In the past, dental crowns were called caps. That’s quite a helpful word because it describes exactly what they do. They sit, like a cap, on top of your original tooth and cover it.

A crown completely covers the natural tooth. When the crown is in place, you cannot see any part of the natural tooth. It is held in place by strong dental adhesive.

Crowns can be made from many different materials. In the past, metal was the most common, and metal crowns are extremely strong.

Today, though, most of us don’t like the gold tooth look. That’s why materials like porcelain, composite resin, and zirconia are popular. They are much more life-like materials for dental crowns.

Veneers: What Are They?

Like crowns, veneers are also securely attached to the natural tooth. Their goal is to improve the appearance of your teeth. They are usually attached to the front teeth.

They are wafer-thin sheets of porcelain or composite. However, they only cover the front of the tooth.

This means the back of the tooth is still exposed. They are strong, but they are not as strong as crowns. They will not last as long as crowns before needing to be replaced.

What’s the Difference?

Dental procedures fall into two categories – restorative and cosmetic.

Veneers can restore teeth that with small amounts of damage. However, crowns can repair teeth that are severely damaged. Crowns are both restorative and cosmetic.

Veneers provide less protection than crowns. Crowns cover the whole tooth; veneers only cover the front. The flipside of this is that veneers are much less invasive.

To fit a crown, the dentist has to remove much more of the natural tooth. Veneers allow you to retain most of the natural tooth.

Which Is Right for Me?

It’s important to learn more about veneers and crowns before deciding which is right for you. Your dentist will discuss your goals and budget with you. Their goal is to provide you with the best dental care

Crowns are a longer-term solution. However, they may cost more initially. You need to weigh this up against the fact that they last much longer.

On average, porcelain veneers last around 10 years. Composite veneers last about 5 years. With good care, porcelain crowns can last for 30 years!

Both dental crowns and veneers are important tools in the hands of the best dentist. Search for a dentist near me that offers both dental procedures.

The Lowdown on Dental Crowns vs Veneers

When you head to the dentist office, they will tell you that dental crowns and veneers are both excellent treatments. The choice will come down to your goals, budget, and the dentist’s recommendation.

If you’ve enjoyed this article, we’ve got lots more for you. Head over to our Health section for more great hints and tips.