Whether it is because of an accident or a dental issue, many kids and adults have one or a few teeth that stand out over the rest and give the sense of an asymmetrical and non-uniformed smile. The situation can lead to various self-esteem problems during their lifetimes. Fortunately, there are a few restorative procedures that allow any patient to get the perfect smile they wish for. Keep reading to figure out which procedure is best for you!
What Are Dental Crowns
Dental crowns are tooth-shaped caps that go over a severely damaged tooth. Dentists apply dental crowns to either help the damaged tooth structurally or to give it a more symmetrical appearance.
To get the crown in place, however, dentists will first need to file down the tooth where the cap will be; this way, it won’t stand out among the rest. Then, your dental specialist takes an impression of the now smaller tooth in order to make the cap fit snuggly over it. Once the cap is in place, your dentist will cement it with a special mix. The process of making a crown specifically for you will take a couple of weeks so expect to use a temporary crown in the process.
Dental crowns get their colors from the materials that compose them. If it’s a porcelain crown, then it will be tooth-colored, while a metal crown will have either a gold or silver color. It is important to remember that different materials for crowns also represent different costs. Porcelain crowns tend to be more expensive than metal crowns, but they offer a natural look to their user.
What Are Veneers
Veneers are thin shell-like encasings that cover mainly the front side of your tooth. Your dentist bonds the porcelain or resin veneers to your teeth to restore a tooth’s appearance. Most of the time, dentists recommend veneers to fix a broken or chipped tooth or to cover a small gap between teeth. Sometimes, dentists use various veneers on the front-facing teeth to change the overall appearance of a patient’s smile. Giving them a more uniform and pleasing look.
Dentists can apply veneers in just one appointment, and similarly to dental crowns, they will have to file down the damaged or discolored tooth before bonding them in place. However, given that veneers only cover the front side of your tooth, they require much less filing than crowns do.
Just as with dental crowns, different materials for veneers represent different characteristics. Porcelain veneers will last from 10 to 15 years, while composite veneers last about 7 years.
What Is the Cost of Crowns and Veneers
The cost of dental crowns and veneers will depend highly on which material the patient chooses for the restorative procedure. Because of this, it’s important to take a step back and listen to your dentist to know which type of treatment and material is best for your specific case.
Although prices will change quite a bit depending on where you get your crowns, here is a point of reference for different crown materials. Porcelain crowns cost anywhere between $1000 to $2500. Metal crowns are a bit cheaper, going from $900 to $1300, and porcelain fused with metal starts even cheaper at $800 with a maximum of $2400 per crown.
Dental veneers, on the other hand, tend to be cheaper, with composite resin veneers going from $925 to $2500 and porcelain veneers ranging from $250 to $1500.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Veneers and Crowns
While crowns and veneers have different use cases, if you are considering getting one of the two procedures, it’s important to know their pros and cons to make a well-informed decision.
Dentists recommend crowns for a variety of reasons. Dental crowns can add structural integrity to a severely damaged tooth, they can completely hide the remains of a big intervention in any tooth, they allow the use of dental bridges, and they cover and give a new look to discolored or heavily damaged teeth. Of course, crowns also come with a downside. The procedure is permanent as it requires filling down your teeth. Dental crowns come at a high cost per tooth, and even with strong material, crowns can break and may require maintenance.
Veneers differ from crowns in that their main advantages are mostly cosmetic. Thanks to veneers, dentists are able to close small gaps between teeth, cover a chipped or broken tooth, and can even change a person’s smile with the use of various veneers of a whiter shade. The disadvantages come in the form of lack of coverage by the insurance, the need to remove the enamel of the patient’s teeth, and the fact that they tend to last less than crowns, given that they are more susceptible to chipping and breaking.
Get the Right Procedure for the Perfect Smile
If you are looking to get the perfect smile you always wished for, then you are in luck. At Maidu Dental, we will help you find the solution that best fits your smile. Contact us here to schedule an appointment with us.
What Does Getting Porcelain Veneers Involve?