What’s the Difference Between a Crown and Veneer?
In realm of cosmetic dentistry, two of the most common performed procedures to improve smile line are porcelain crowns and porcelain veneers. The main difference between a dental crown and dental veneer is the following: dental crowns or caps are a full coverage dental prosthesis that cover the entire surface of the tooth, just like a hat. This is achieved by reducing the size of the tooth in every dimension by anywhere between 0.7 to 2mm based on the material that will be used and to meet esthetic requirements.
Dental veneers on the other hand are a think layer of porcelain between 07-1.5mm in thickness that only cover the face side, or lip side of the tooth. Although preparing the tooth for veneers requires lesser intensive removal of tooth, dental veneers have limited capacity of use, and not every patient may qualify to receive dental veneers.
To qualify for dental veneers the following condition must be present:
- Teeth come together with normal bite, with adequate overbite and overjet.
- Healthy teeth without any present fillings, crowns, or root canals.
- Great oral hygiene.
- Absence of periodontal disease.
If all above criterion are not met, dental veneers are not recommended. If dental venees treatment is performed on teeth with any of above conditions, the failure rate is high, and irreversible damage to the tooth may occur which may lead to complete loss of a person’s teeth. Now if someone is adamant about getting porcelain veneers to idealize their smile line, pre-cosmetic treatments in orthodontia, and periodontal treatment, must be performed to remedy conditions associated with overbite, overjet, and gum disease.
Although more aggressive in preparation of teeth, dental crowns are more stable and less affected by above conditions. For instance, in scenarios where the orthodontic treatment is not an option for the patient, and cosmetic dentistry is a concern, great esthetic results can be achieved using all Zirconia crowns to correct the shape, shade, orientation, and angulation of teeth without the need for extensive orthodontic treatment or gum surgery.
The cosmetic dentistry needs of every patient is different and depends on many factors. Dental veneers are not the proper choice of treatment for all patients. Careful analysis of the occlusion (bite) in addition to health of the gums are required to make appropriate decision on choice of material and treatment options.
Contact us at 702-333-4483 for more dental information.