One of the primary things that people first notice about you — rightly or wrongly — is your teeth. Thus, having a shining set of whites is something that many people aim for to help with interpersonal interactions and self-esteem. In this article we are going to review the differences between getting porcelain and composite veneers so you can make an informed decision about which treatment (if either) is right for you.
What is A Veneer?
Thanks to modern cosmetic dentistry and Dr. Jack Nagrani’s advanced training and experience, there are a number of ways for us to help you get the beautiful smile you’d like to have and improve the appearance of teeth —including getting dental veneers.
There are three general ways to adjust teeth: bonding with composite resins (like a “white filling” or “bonding”), veneers, and l crowns. And when we talk about veneers, we refer to two general types: composite and porcelain veneers. Both options work by being bonded to the front surface of your teeth and offer the ability to change the shape and color.
Another less promoted feature is that by making the teeth shape, size, and position closer to ideal, veneers can often help improve your overall oral health and the health of the gums by making oral hygiene easier. Note that dental restorations will not cure existing gum disease, as gum disease (periodontal care) requires specific care for the gums as a whole.
Small White Fillings
While placing small bondings (white fillings) can work to improve the look, feel, and health of your teeth, for larger changes to a smile (multiple teeth), we usually need to use veneers or crowns.
Dental Crowns
Dental Crowns are a great way to change the look and shape of your teeth, and we have incredible life-like ceramics that make your crowns look virtually identical to your natural teeth. However, crowns are thicker and require that we take away more structure than for veneers, so for patients who don’t have existing crowns or fillings on the teeth we want to improve, avoiding crowns is a better option. Remember, we want to adjust the apperance of your smile, but we want to minimize the effects on your natural tooth structure.
Differences Between Composite vs. Porcelain Veneers
Veneers are thin coverings of ceramic or porcelain that we apply to your teeth to reshape them and improve their appearance and are one of the top cosmetic dental procedures that we perform in our offce. Because they are “thin shells” of porcelain or composite, veneers need minimal removal of surface enamel , and we need to make sure that our bonding strength is excellent. Thus, we aim to bond them to tooth enamel (the top layer) as much as possible. Composite and Porcelain veneers are both fantastic restorations that aim to mimic the appearance of natural teeth, and we frequently decide the material to be used based upon the results you want-as you’ll see below.
Composite veneers
Composite resin veneers (sometimes called “direct veneers”) are made using composite material that is added directly to the tooth surface in layers. Again — think of this as a small white filling, but instead of only filling the area where you had the chip or the cavity, we’re using the material to build up and reshape the entire tooth. Each layer is carefully placed to create the sought-after length as well as the shape of the tooth. We use a special (safe) curing light to finalize the bonding of the material to the tooth, and then we refine, make fine adjustments, and polish.
Porcelain veneers
Porcelain veneers typically require a more complex process. With porcelain we prepare the teeth by removing small, planned amounts of tooth structure. We fabricate a mold of the jaws as we would for a crown or cap, and the mold is sent to a dental laboratory, and you go home wtih temporary veneers. The lab will follow our instructions and create thin sheets of porcelain that fit to your teeth. We cement these veneers to your teeth and then make any fine adjustments we need.
What About Teeth Whitening?
We often use veneers in conjunction with whitening, and we want to complete any whitening treatments first. The reason is that if we place the veneers on the surface of your teeth – and then whiten them – there is a chance of a mismatched shade – which we always want to avoid!
How Many Veneers Do I Need?
The number of veneers we place is dependent upon the goal of treatment and the number of teeth that need to be modified. A general guideline is to use the minimum number that we need to help you achieve the esthetic result you desire.
What issues can Porcelain or Composite Veneers address?
Veneers are useful to fix minor problems with teeth that are rotated, discolored, or out of place. One of the biggest resasons we use them is to fix chipped teeth. Not every dental problem can be solved with veneers, but there are a wide variety of solutions that they can offer.
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Are Composite and Porcelain Veneers Permanent?
Yes and no. Whether they are made from composite or porcelain, they are restorations that are designed to last many years. But no dental work is truly “permanent” — meaning at some point, most dental restorations will need to be replaced. Porcelain veneers require more tooth removal than composite ones – but the bigger question has to do with the complexity of the treatment and how much of a cosmetic change we are trying to achieve.
Your habits and diet can also dictate how long your veneers (or any dental restoration) will last. For example, if you are someone who likes to chew on bones or crack ice with your teeth (don’t do that), you are much more likely to fracture a restoration than someone who doesn’t do these things. In addition, if you grind there are precautions that need to be taken (such as a niteguard as mentioned above) so you don’t prematurely wear out the restorations.
Generally speaking, both types typically last many years before needing replacement and require the same type of maintenance to keep the restorations and the gums healthy (brushing, flossing, regular dental checkups and cleanings). Note that composite veneers are more susceptible to staining with foods such as red wine and red sauces, so if your diet is heavy in these types of foods, do not choose composite veneers.
Application procedure
Composite Resin Veneers Procedure
- Once we’ve agreed upon the final shape and size of your teeth and the shade, we will roughen the surfaces of the teeth where needed to remove a small amount of enamel. (Note that in more complex treatment plans, we may have an extra step where we take molds so we can more accurately plan the results).
- Some patients prefer to be numb for the procedure, and others don’t, as the drilling is minimal.
- We add the resin material and it’s sculpted on the tooth to finalize the shape and size of the veneer.
- Finally, we check your bite, make sure you can floss properly in between the teeth, and the composite is polished for an esthetic, natural shine.
How to take Care of Veneers
Treat your veneers as you would treat your regular teeth – brush and floss regularly for proper care. Make sure you come in for regular checkups and cleanings in order to minimize the chance of plaque and bacteria buildup around the edges.
*However, you should also avioid using these teeth to bite on very hard foods such as tosted bagels, and avoid habits such as chewing on ice.
Who can use veneers?
We generally limit veneers to adults who have all of their permanent teeth erupted. On occasion, and if the patient’s concerns are limited to the color of their teeth, we are able to solve the problem with whitening and may not need to touch the teeth at all.
If you have a history of bruxism – grinding your teeth – using veneers may not be the ideal choice for you. The pressure that comes from consistent grinding can weaken the restoration and lead to fracture. And if we do use them as a treatment for someone who grinds, we will require that you use a bite guard/nite guard to protect the teeth. Composite veneers offer the aesthetics of crowns, but not necessarily the strength of crowns when it comes to someone who bruises.
As mentioned above, veneers can be used to solve a number of cosmetic concerns, but if you have teeth that have existing crowns, a history of multiple fillings, or large existing cavities, then this type of resotoration is not the appropriate choice for your smile. You would gain more of a benefit in these cases from dental crowns. Ultimately, we need to examine your teeth and mouth to determine the appropriate treatment choice for you.
Potential issues and risks
The two major risks that people have with veneers are the risk of fracture and the risk of recurrent decay. Porcelain is stronger and thicker compared to composite, so the risk of fracture is less with porcelain. And because composite is microsopcially more porous, it can stain more readily than porcelain – so people who eat a lot of dark foods (coffe, tea, red wine, cherries) may have a higher risk of discoloration vs. patients who don’t have this diet.
Take Home
Porcelain veneers are highly esthetic restorations that require some drilling of your teeth, are strong, less prone to fracture risk, have more color stabilitly, and have a higher cost compared to composite. Multiple visits are required.
Composite veneers are esthetic restorations that also require some drilling of your teeth, are not as strong as porcelain, have less color stability, and cost less than porcelain. They are done in one visit.
Considering Composite Veneers?
If you are considering composite veneers or any type of cosmetic dentistry to improve your smile, get in touch with us today and see how cosmetic dentist, Dr. Jack Nagrani, can help.