Front Teeth Crowns Vs. Veneers: Which One Should You Get?

identifying teeth shade

Having a teeth problem can be quite embarrassing especially if it is placed right in the front area of your mouth. Let’s admit it, having a dental imperfection is normal, but when the problem is too visible and noticeable, it could take a toll on our confidence and cause us to shy away from people. Fortunately, there are now plenty of ways to fix this issue, but most people debate about the advantages and disadvantages of front teeth crowns vs veneers.

What Are Dental Crowns?

To easily distinguish the differences between crowns and veneers, let us first understand the principle of each of these two restorative solutions. A crown is a full cap that is placed to cover the entire tooth and hide its crooks and chips. What’s good about dental crowns is that they can be placed on different kinds of teeth, may it be on the front teeth or the teeth from the back.

Crowns can be made of different materials such as:

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  • ceramic
  • porcelain
  • metal
  • composites
  • zirconia

There may be a lot of options to choose from when picking the material to be used in dental crowns but things like the location of the teeth, the status of the gum tissues, teeth functions, remaining tooth, and color of the adjacent teeth will be considered by your dentist as well. However, you can still discuss your preference with your dentist.

If you are planning to get a crown, you must consider its cost, strength, and durability.

Why would you need a crown? Typically, a dental filling is an initial solution when a patient has suffered from a cavity. But if the damage is too big, your dentist might recommend a dental crown respectively.

People with severely broken, cracked, and weakened teeth are advised to receive a dental crown to protect the remaining teeth and retain their functions.

Types of Dental Crowns

Depending on the severity of the damage in your tooth, your dentist might prescribe one of the following crowns to you:

  1. Temporary crown. This is a type of crown that stays in your mouth for a specific period of time. Oftentimes, temporary crowns are placed on the broken tooth as the patient waits for the permanent crown to be made. The dentist will only use an adhesive that can be easily removed.
  2. One day crown. Some dental offices have advanced equipment that can provide a permanent crown in just one visit.
  3. Onlay crown. Unlike full crowns, onlay crowns are designed to cover a small part of the teeth. They only conceal a portion of the broken tooth.

Dental crowns commonly cost around $800 to $1500 depending on the materials used and the size of the broken tooth.

Everything About Veneers

If dental crowns are caps that cover the tooth in whole, veneers are used to conceal the front surface of the teeth. These are tooth-colored shells that are designed to significantly improve the appearance of their wearer. The good thing about veneers is that these are temporarily attached to the front surface of the teeth making them look more natural in the long run.

Patients with chipped, broken, cracked, and oddly-shaped teeth will definitely enjoy the benefits of veneers as it gives out an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Some people get one veneer to cover a minimal imperfection, but others prefer to make their smile more appealing by deliberately covering their eight front teeth with veneers.

Veneers can be made of porcelain or resin composite materials. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. Porcelain looks more natural and blends well with the natural teeth, however, it costs way higher than resin-composites. Resin, on the other hand, is cheaper and thinner in composition.

Types of Veneers

There are 2 different kinds of veneers, the traditional and no-prep veneers. Traditional veneers usually involve teeth grinding, in some cases, a huge part of the enamel is removed as well. This is to ensure proper fitting and correct positioning. However, the results of grinding are irreversible and can be quite painful to go through.

placing veneers in front teeth

Unlike the traditional veneers, no-prep veneers do not typically require tooth grinding and just affect the enamel itself. Additionally, it is not painful and commonly does not require anesthetics.

The cost of veneers play around $900 to $2000 per tooth which could last for 15 years.

Front Teeth Crowns Vs Veneers: The Similarities

Still can’t decide which one is best for you? Let us now determine the similarities of the two restorative procedures. First of all, both of them are designed to help patients attain the perfect smile that they are aiming for. Crowns and veneers take a few weeks to be finished and placed onto the tooth. They are typically expensive and costly so there is nothing much to compare when it comes to the cost and expenses.

Prior to the placement, the dentist will perform professional teeth cleaning to remove plaque and debris.

Front Teeth Crowns Vs Veneers: The Aftercare

Another similarity between dental crowns and veneers is that they both need utmost aftercare. In order to guarantee the strength and lifespan of your restoration, it would be best to carefully follow these aftercare procedures:

  • If pain persists, take an over-the-counter pain killer. You may also ask your doctor for a prescription after the procedure.
  • Your doctor will most probably give you a prescription to help manage inflammation, be sure to take the medicine on time.
  • Maintain a healthy diet. Everything that you eat has the ultimate effect on your teeth as well, be sure to eat foods that are good for the teeth.
  • After the procedure, avoid hard foods in the meantime. Give your restoration the time it needs to fully attach itself to your natural tooth.
  • Use salt rinse to lessen the pain and inflammation.
  • Brush your teeth gently. You will need to adjust how you brush your teeth to prevent any damages to the restoration.

It’s good to know that we are now living in a generation where dentists can provide multiple services to makes our smiles brighter. With just a few dental visits, you will be able to achieve the perfect-looking smile that you’ve always dreamed of. You can visit No Gaps Dental’s clinic located in Epping, NSW if you’re looking for an affordable solution to your dental problems.