Your dentist can help you keep your teeth healthy and also boost their appearance so that you can get the smile of your dreams. Some dental treatments can accomplish both of these goals, including dental crowns and porcelain veneers.
Though these two procedures have plenty in common, they are very different as well. You can feel more knowledgeable and comfortable during a consultation with your dentist if you learn more information about these dental solutions. Dr. Ben Ahlbrecht, a dentist practicing in Indianapolis, IN, compares the procedures and benefits of two effective dental treatments: porcelain veneers and dental crowns.
Boosting the Look of Your Smile with Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are a cosmetic dental treatment, meaning that they are designed specifically to improve the look of your teeth. They feature cap-like shells that your dentist constructs on a personalized basis for each patient. Your dentist considers the size, shape, and color of your teeth, as well as your smile aesthetic goals, to create veneers that provide a beautiful and natural-looking finish.
When your customized veneers are ready, you will return to your dentist’s office to have them placed over the front of your teeth. The dentist begins by giving you a local anesthetic so that you can remain comfortable during the procedure.
Then the dentist prepares the surface of the affected teeth by removing a minute amount of enamel. They secure the veneer fixtures to the teeth with dental bonding.
Veneers have the added benefit of replacing eroded enamel on the front of teeth, providing protection from exterior threats to your smile. With proper maintenance, your porcelain veneers can last for ten to thirty years.
Protecting Vulnerable Teeth with Dental Crowns
Like porcelain veneers, your dentist constructs dental crowns individually for each of their patients according to their unique smiles. Therefore, crowns can enhance the look of an affected tooth, potentially brightening a tooth that has suffered severe discoloration, for instance.
However, dental crowns are a restorative dental treatment, which means that dentists recommend them for patients whose teeth have sustained damage and require shielding to improve oral function and structure. Crowns feature ceramic caps that cover an affected tooth.
To secure a crown, the dentist must also remove a little bit of tooth enamel to make room for the cap. Then the dental professional seals the crown over the tooth using dental cement. As with veneers, a dental crown can provide thirty years of oral health benefits if the patient takes care of their dental work.
Get Veneers and Crowns from Your Indianapolis Dentist
North Meridian Dental Excellence provides dental crowns and other restorative dental treatments to patients in Indianapolis, IN. Dr. Ahlbrecht also specializes in general and cosmetic dentistry, including porcelain veneers, for patients of all ages. If you feel nervous about pending dental work, ask your dentist about sedation dentistry options. To schedule an appointment with our practice, contact our office by phone at 317.204.7134 or reach our staff online.