Are you worried about not having perfect teeth? Do you feel awkward about it, or find yourself bypassing photos, or are you hiding your smile with your hand when you speak? You’re not alone. Many people have at least one element of their smile that they would like to enhance.
A great smile makes for more than an appealing picture. It can increase self-esteem, confidence, and even one’s mood! Today’s cosmetic dentistry has developed various treatment options to address flaws like stains, misalignment, chipped teeth, and other minor imperfections that make you self-conscious about smiling.
With so many options to improve your smile, we understand if you would like clarification on the best choice for your situation. Teeth bonding vs veneers are the two frequent techniques for individual tooth or complete mouth makeovers.
However, the two dental procedures differ regarding the materials used and the pricing. This article will give you an idea to analyze when choosing between Teeth Bonding vs Veneers.
Teeth Bonding Vs Veneers: What Are They?
What is Teeth Bonding?
Teeth bonding is a dental procedure that uses soft, tooth-colored resin to fix your tooth’s appearance. A thick paste of the durable plastic material (resin) is applied and sculpted to give it its shape.
It is then healed with a high-intensity light that eventually “bonds” the resin to the tooth. Dental bonding covers the damage to create the appearance of a healthy tooth.
Teeth bonding has aesthetic limitations due to the resin material that can make it hard to mask extremely discolored teeth. However, it is suitable for patients with minimal aesthetic problems that don’t require extensive treatment.
What are Veneers?
Cosmetic veneers are ultra-thin shells made of porcelain covering your tooth’s front surface. With a strong dental adhesive, these custom-created shells look exceptionally realistic on a patient’s tooth.
Unlike bonding, porcelain veneers are strong from the beginning. Dentists sculpt the existing tooth to make room for the shells, as they cannot be carved later.
Once shaped as desired, an impression of your teeth is taken and sent to a dental laboratory for fabrication. While your final veneers are in the making process, your dental expert will provide you with a temporary set. After the original veneers are ready, the dentist will have them fitted to your teeth and remove the temporary ones.
Teeth Bonding Vs. Veneers: Benefits
Benefits of Teeth Bonding-
- Bonding is a minimally invasive technique that doesn’t require changing the tooth.
- Patients of almost all ages qualify for the treatment; even children with damaged or chipped teeth can go for the procedure.
- The procedure often requires just a single visit.
- In most cases, anesthesia is not mandatory.
- Bonding is more cost-efficient than many other dental cosmetic procedures.
- No downtime is required.
Benefits of Veneers-
- Porcelain is white and translucent, giving veneers a realistic sheen that is difficult to achieve with bonding.
- Porcelain is a material that does not stain.
- Veneers provide a white, uniform, and beautiful smile almost instantly
- Veneers have up to 20 years of lifespan.
Teeth Bonding Vs Veneers: Who Needs It?
Dental bonding is usually the best choice for patients who need to:
- Fix chipped, cracked, and damaged teeth.
- Close small spaces or gaps between teeth.
- Change the shape of teeth.
- Improve discoloration of teeth.
- Fill a cavity without using silver amalgam fillings.
- Relieve pain due to gum recession from the exposed tooth roots.
Veneers function better for patients who require more significant modifications to their smile due to the following:
- Severe discoloration and stains.
- Chipped and cracked teeth.
- Significant gaps between the teeth.
- Crooked teeth (mild to moderate).
- Worn teeth.
- Teeth that overlap.
Teeth Bonding Vs Veneers: Pros and Cons
Teeth bonding vs veneers is a very similar dental treatment procedure. You can opt for any one of the options to improve your teeth’ appearance. Your treatment choice depends on your specific requirements. But before deciding which treatments suit you, it is better to discuss them with your dentist for a more individually customized plan.
Like any other thing, there are pros and cons to both teeth bonding and veneers. Following are a few of them:
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Pros Of Dental Bonding:
Bonding is typically a single-appointment procedure, often “faster” than a veneer, which requires at least two appointments. If the needed cosmetic treatment is minimal to moderate, bonding is usually less expensive than porcelain veneers.
It is quick and easy to repair if some of your bonding breaks or chips.
But, if taken proper care of, dental bonding can last for up to 10 years before replacing it.
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Cons Of Dental Bonding:
One of the disadvantages of dental bonding is that the material used is a composite resin that is not as strong as porcelain, making it more porous and easier to chip. This further makes it subject to staining after several years of usage.
The aesthetic limitations of the material are more challenging in bonding. It can be harder to mask dark and discolored teeth. The ability to get a fantastic result depends significantly on your dentist’s artistry to make it as good as a porcelain veneer.
A single or a few teeth may be relatively easy to work with, but the entire natural-looking smile can be challenging. For that reason, dental bonding is as expensive as porcelain veneers, as this procedure may take more sittings and skills on the dentist’s part.
Pros Of Veneers:
Veneers cover cracks, stains, and poorly shaped teeth by immediately creating a white, uniform, beautiful smile than bonding. Porcelain tends to be stainless and much more robust, making it less likely to chip or break. Nonetheless, even porcelain veneers have a lifetime of approximately 20 years.
Veneers perfectly match the color of your teeth to imitate their natural look and feel. They are slightly translucent, just like natural teeth, and highly lifelike.
Cons Of Veneers:
Remember, Veneers are permanent. A thin layer of your tooth enamel is removed and replaced with porcelain. It is further fused or bonded to the top layer, making veneers an irreversible procedure as the teeth have been permanently altered.
Veneers are also a little expensive because they are custom-made and can often take more time and mastery in preparation and placement.
Teeth Bonding Vs Veneers: Differences
- Material: Teeth bonding uses a tooth-colored compound resin material. Porcelain veneers are customized and unique restorations made from a durable ceramic substance. This ceramic material is strong enough and resists staining.
- Longevity: With the appropriate care, veneers have a longer lifespan than bonding. Having an excellent oral hygiene practice and visiting your dental professional for regular cleanings will extend the life of your chosen option.
- Cost: Teeth bonding is often less expensive than veneers. However, remember that it will not resist staining, so you may require other cosmetic procedures to maintain the white color of your teeth. You will also have to replace the bonding more often than a veneer.
Teeth Bonding Vs Veneers? Are You Still Confused? Contact Valley Ridge Dental Now!
Are you still searching for Teeth bonding vs veneers online? Sometimes the most crucial question is not what procedure fits you but finding the best cosmetic dentist, you trust to do the job right.
At Valley Ridge Dental, we believe in treating all our patients like friends and family, addressing their concerns immediately. We can proudly say that we provide high-quality care along with top-notch customer service.If you’re exploring different ways to treat your dental problems and want to restore your gorgeous smile, call us at (651) 439-0322 or visit our website, or you can even request an appointment today!