Composite vs. Porcelain Veneers: Pros & Cons

One of the primary components of exquisiteness or attractiveness is a gorgeous smile. The semblance of your teeth has an extraordinary effect on your self-esteem as well as buoyancy. Additionally, it makes you look more stunning and younger. However, you may feel uncomfortable smiling because of having crooked, chipped, discolored, uneven spaces between your teeth or tooth decay. Also, you may worry about your health. Well, this should no longer be an issue. 

Thanks to contemporary cosmetic dentistry, you can strike a beautiful smile while greeting your colleagues or other people. To improve your health and enhance your teeth’ appearance, you can either use enameloplasty, tooth bonding, or veneers. 

Using veneers as a treatment technique can help improve your tooth color, improve your health, boost your confidence, and enable you to put your smile in full view.  Veneers can conceal an assortment of dental deficiencies. But, what are they? Well, this article strives to expound more on what veneers are, the type available, and their benefits and drawbacks. And who better to provide this information than Dr. Jack Nagrani?

What are veneers?

Veneers are thin enclosed coverings that you can apply to your teeth to reshape them and improve their appearance. Also, you can use them to transform your smile. Various materials can be used as veneers, but the most common ones are composite and porcelain veneers.

Composite veneers

These are veneers made using a resin that is added directly to the tooth surface in layers. Each layer is chiseled to create the sought-after length as well as the shape of the tooth. After, it is cured using a high-intensity light. You can then polish your new veneers to give them a more natural tooth-like appearance. They can be called temporary veneers since they do not last for long: they can be repaired or replaced after some time.  

Porcelain veneers

These veneers are thin shells that are tailor-made to fit over your teeth directly. They build a life-like as well as a natural tooth look. Porcelain veneers that correspond or are identical to the color and shape of your permanent teeth look so natural. Thus, it can be challenging to distinguish them from your teeth.

Who can use veneers?

Every individual would want to enhance and improve their smile. So, they will opt to use veneers. However, before considering this option, it is vital that you first consult your dentist to figure out if you are a potential candidate. At times, a teeth whitening process can solve yellowing, or more vigorous conventional work may be required to resolve jaw issues or alignment. 

Furthermore, if you grind your teeth while sleeping, using veneers may not be the ideal choice for you. The pressure that comes from consistent grinding hastily weakens veneers. Thus, you will be required to use a bite guard or any other type of retainer. Nonetheless, dental veneers can help hide your tooth defectiveness: discolored, misshapen stained, or crooked teeth, or maybe eroded tooth enamel.

Veneers are different from crowns in that they can cover part of your teeth. Crowns are thicker and hide the whole tooth: both front and back. They are commonly used for damaged teeth. Additionally, crowns need more trimming of the teeth, which is not necessary with veneers. Relatively, if your teeth are in good shape and you want to alter their look, tooth color, and shape, veneers may be the best option for you.

Do porcelain veneers ruin your teeth?

Considering the two options of dental veneers to choose from, the majority would prefer to enhance their teeth’ appearance and smile using porcelain veneers. However, many people often question if porcelain veneers can ruin teeth. Well, porcelain veneers are more or less similar to traditional veneers. And as aforementioned, they are custom-made for your teeth.

Before the veneer’s dental process occurs, a tooth enamel dentist will make imprints of your teeth. From these, the porcelain veneers can be created from the mold in the dental lab. The teeth whitening procedure may take a week or more. While waiting, you will receive a temporary set of veneers, similar to the indirect composite veneers.

When they are ready, the dentist will bolster or cement the thin porcelain veneer shells to the front of your teeth and shape them like natural teeth.

Are Porcelain veneers permanent?

Since dental porcelain veneers are custom-made for your teeth, you may opt to go with this option rather than no-prep veneers. This is because they last longer than their counterparts, thanks to the stronger material it incorporates.

Additionally, the materials are of high quality. However, if you want to use porcelain veneers, ensure that you have the time and resources since it will require a lot of these. 

Moreover, you need to factor in that when you choose to go with this option, there is no turning back. 

How much do dental veneers cost?

Dental veneers come at different prices since they involve different placement processes, durability and utilize different resources. Additionally, they offer the patient a dissimilar smile design. 

Composite or resin veneers do not cost much as they are less complex and consume very little time during the placement procedure. On the other hand, porcelain veneers cost slightly higher since the procedure consumes more time, utilizes many resources, and requires dentistry prowess. 

Additionally, the dentists need to fabricate the porcelain veneers in a dental laboratory, incorporating fabrication expenses. Nonetheless, if you contemplate the treatment expenses and the lifespan of these dental veneers, the investment of dental porcelain and composite veneers would be evenly more or less in both scenarios.

Either way, you need to ascertain that you are the ideal candidate for any of these veneers. Get a consultation from your cosmetic dentist to figure out whether you can use porcelain or composite veneers to improve your smile design as they both have their benefits and detriments.

Veneer application procedure

Dental veneers have dissimilar procedures considering the materials used. Each of the steps involved is as illustrated below;

Porcelain veneers

• Book an initial consultation with your dentist, Dr. Jack Nagrani to identify the improvements you aspire to accomplish. The dentist may develop a cosmetic imaging mock-up, permitting you to have a first look at your new and enhanced smile.
• After agreeing on a plan, the dentist will remove a little tooth enamel from the front and side parts of the tooth receiving the porcelain veneers.
• Your teeth’ impressions will be taken hence their accurate shape determined.
• You may receive temporary or no-prep veneers until the permanent or prep veneers arrive.
• Impressions of your teeth and shade color go to the dentist’s laboratory to develop your porcelain veneers.
• Once the lab sends back the veneers, you and your cosmetic dentist will ascertain that the color, shape, and fitting are too precise. Your dentist will then use the bonding material to attach the veneers to your teeth using a light-sensitive resin.

Composite veneers

• They can be referred to as no-prep veneers as they do not require any procedure to be made.
• Your dentist will pick a shade using your consultation and then chisel the material in layers directly to your teeth. This will help create the veneers that best fit your smile.
• The composite resin is then hardened using high-intensity light.
• Finally, you need to smoothen and polish the composite resin until it accomplishes a natural design.

What are the pros and cons of composite veneers?

As mentioned earlier, composite veneers are veneers created from a composite resin material and applied in layers directly to your teeth. While they are an ideal technique to enhance your smile makeover and boost your confidence, no-prep veneers have their merits and demerits and some areas listed below.

Pros     

• One of the benefits of porcelain veneers is that they can be mocked up to color match your teeth. The resin is used for filling, which is a popular choice for this cosmetic dentistry process.
• Temporary veneers can be applied once you visit the dentist since they are chiseled directly onto your teeth the same day.
• They involve less utilization of time and resources hence making them affordable or less costly.
• Resin veneers can conceal several aesthetic issues such as discolorations, misshapen teeth, cavities, chipped teeth, and other injuries. \
• They give your teeth a look like natural teeth, with enough strength for some time.
• Damaged composites are easy and less costly to fix. To repair, they can easily be chiseled with more resin.
• No prep veneers necessitate minimum prep work or reshaping of your tooth structure.
• It is the best option if you suffer from minimal tooth deficiencies.

Cons

Notwithstanding enabling you to smile boldly, composite veneers also have their demerits, and below are some of them;

• Temporary veneers have shorter longevity regardless of being good for a fast and easy fix. If you take good care of them, you can last from five to seven years or maybe ten at an outright maximum.
• They are not as strong as their veneer counterparts. If not well taken care of, they can easily get damaged.
• Resin veneers stain easily. Therefore, as a patient, you will be required to adjust your diet and avoid foods such as red wines, coffee, or tobacco: anything that discolors the resin.
• The materials used in resin veneers are not as strong as those used in porcelain veneers. Thus, you will have to repair or replace them more frequently.
• It is not a viable alternative for a patient who suffers from serious deficiencies. Temporary veneers are an ideal option for patients searching for trivial cosmetic dentistry.
• They cover only minor dental misalignments, chipping, and discolorations.

Composite veneers fail to solve serious issues or fill the uneven spaces between teeth. Due to these demerits, cosmetic dentists often recommend other types of dental veneers. So, you should not be in a hurry to select the type of veneer that you want. First, seek consultation and identify what prep veneers would best work out for you.

What are the pros and cons of porcelain veneers?

Dental porcelain veneers are designed for your teeth. They are one of the most popular veneer choices as they give more natural teeth look. These dental veneers have their benefits and drawbacks, and some of them include the following;

Pros

• One of the benefits of porcelain veneers is that they are tailor-made.
• Porcelain veneers have a shine and react similarly to light as real tooth enamel.
• They are stronger than composite resin. Porcelain veneers can last a solid ten to fifteen years if well taken care of.
• Its slight sheerness and realistic feel allow you to own your smile and feel confident about your tooth structure.
• They are highly strain resilient. So, you can continue taking wine and coffee without incorporating any adjustments in your lifestyle.
• Porcelain veneers offer a more natural teeth guise.
• They are a viable choice for all cases. They can resolve minor and serious tooth deficiencies such as discolorations, gum disease, uneven spaces between teeth, and crooked teeth, among other issues.
• They are easy to clean and need very little maintenance.  

Cons

Porcelain veneers seem like a viable option if you want to use dental veneers to improve your smile design. However, you need to factor in that it also has its disadvantages, and some of them are as listed below;

• The step-by-step procedure of creating and attaching porcelain veneers involves a lot of things. As prep veneers, the veneers ought to be made in a dental lab to specifications before being put on. To attach porcelain veneers to your gum line, the teeth should be prepared, and this is done by shearing back the tooth enamel on the outer surface and the bite area. Thus, this makes it a very expensive dental procedure.

• It consumes a lot of time for the job to be done; you will need more than one visit to the dentist.
• Repairing these veneers is not easy. If broken or chipped, it will have to be utterly redesigned or replaced.
• Once you choose to improve your smile with this option, you cannot go back as they are more or less permanent veneers.
• They can fall off. Thus they will have to be re-attached to your teeth.

So, which is the best dental veneer option?

Picking the teeth dental technique that best suits you comes down to a diverse set of criteria. After carefully contemplating the merits and demerits of dental veneers, you can weigh up each technique to come to a sound conclusion. But before then, first, figure out why you want to use veneers and the best option that you can take. Seek consultation from your doctor and figure out if it is safe for you to use veneers.

Porcelain and resin veneers are not a hasty decision. Nonetheless, it is a crucial one. Your decision depends on what is more vital to you and what you hope to achieve from your new smile makeover in the long run. No prep veneers enable you to solve minor deficiencies for an affordable price and an easy dental visit. Prep veneers are more costly. However, the design and feel of natural teeth are difficult to surpass. If you are looking for a temporary and reversible choice, no-prep veneers can be replaced or removed later, whereas prep veneers are a lifetime commitment. Once you have them, you cannot undo your decision. Nevertheless, they are durable and long-lasting. Furthermore, if you are committed to the resolution of invigorating or revitalizing your smile, health, and life, why would you want to undo your decision?

Regardless of your choice, rest easy knowing that either treatment plan can allow you to alter or mask visible flaws. You can reclaim your look, boost your health with any of these veneers, and feel confident sharing your smile makeover. But if you are uncertain about which alternative to go with, feel free to get help from our dentistry. The experts from our company have years of practice as they have been in this industry for over a decade. With us, you can get all the help that you need: whether it is consultation, x-rays, the solution to your tooth deficiencies, or any other help regarding your teeth. Rock your smile!

Design and increase your confidence by giving us a call. You may look far and wide, but if you have not come across Dr. Jack Nagrani, you are yet to find solutions to your teeth problems.