Teeth imperfections like chips, cracks, gaps, misalignment, and discoloration can adversely affect your smile, facial appearance, and confidence. Fortunately, you can rely on restorative solutions like veneers and crowns to achieve a flawless and functional smile. Each cosmetic dentistry procedure has its merits and demerits, although veneers are more suitable for minor dental concerns. Here are some differences between the two restorative solutions and why your dentist might recommend veneers over crowns for your teeth problems.

Understanding Dental Veneers

Dental veneers are extremely thin layers of porcelain or composite resin covers or shells that cover the front surface of the tooth to hide flaws, like stains, discoloration, cracks, fractures, or crookedness, by changing the size, shape, or color of the tooth. Veneers are used more than dental crowns since they are less invasive, thus enabling patients to maintain the structural integrity of the tooth. In veneers, the tooth enamel is only reduced by one millimeter from the front surface visible when preparing, allowing patients to keep the original structure of their teeth.

Veneer Procedure

When you walk into the dental clinic, your dentist will evaluate your teeth and gums to determine eligibility.

If you are a candidate for the procedure, the dentist will apply a local anesthetic to the affected tooth. They do this to make the tooth trimming or preparation virtually painless. The cosmetic dentist will remove a small portion of the enamel on the tooth’s front surface to enable shell placement. With composite resin veneers, the procedure is completed on the same day. No tooth preparation is required, as the dentist directly cements the composite material on the prepped tooth, shapes, hardens, and polishes it to achieve the desired color, shape, and size. You should opt for composite resin if you want to preserve the structure of your teeth.

Porcelain veneer placement, however, is done by taking an impression or computer-scanning the prepared tooth and sending the impression or image to a laboratory for veneer production. You might need temporary restorations to reduce sensitivity, depending on the extent of enamel removed.

Once the permanent restorations are ready, you return for a second appointment. First, the dentist fits the final veneers to see if they fit perfectly on the teeth or whether they need adjustments. After ensuring the veneer is a perfect fit for the teeth, your cosmetic dentist cements it on the surface using a special adhesive and hardens it with a special UV light. Even after hardening, the restoration might experience minimal movement. Therefore, if you clench your teeth, put on a night guard to safeguard the veneer.

Overview of Dental Crowns

A dental crown or cap is a cosmetic procedure that restores the tooth’s appearance and function by covering the whole tooth with imperfections. Crowns are indicated when the tooth is severely damaged and further structural support needs to be provided for enhanced function and esthetics. However, preparation of the crown involves large amounts of enamel removal at the cost of the structural integrity of the tooth. When the restoration is finally removed in the future, the recontoured tooth can be prone to chipping or fracture.

Learning Dental Crown Placement

If your teeth are heavily damaged due to decay, fractures, or chips, you need to schedule an appointment with your cosmetic dentist. During the meeting, the dentist will examine the existing healthy teeth. They will recommend veneers to fix the imperfections if the damage is minimal. Nevertheless, when the damage is severe, you will require crowns to correct the problem, as they will cover the whole tooth to conceal imperfections and strengthen it.

Placement of Dental Crowns

Your dentist will check your teeth for decay or any other issues during the initial consultation. Crowns will be recommended by your dentist if the damage is too extreme to be fixed with veneers. Your dentist will take an X-ray as a pre-procedure examination to test the extent of the damage and if there are any issues in the underlying teeth that must be cleared before the crown can be installed.

If the dentist identifies an underlying issue like decay, they will start by extracting the decayed material before the restoration method. The next step will be to trim or reshape the tooth to enable it to accommodate the crown. This phase requires the dentist to administer local anesthesia because extensive reshaping can be painful.

Once the tooth is reshaped, the dentist will make a mold or take a digital scan. The print from the digital scan or impression will be sent to a dental lab for crown fabrication. However, if the dental clinic has invested in modern equipment, the fabrication can happen in-house, reducing the waiting time.

Your teeth are left feeling sensitive and weak after extensive reshaping. Therefore, you will wear temporary crowns to prevent sensitivity and strengthen your teeth as you await the permanent restorations.

You will require a second visit to the dental clinic once the permanent caps are ready. In this meeting, the cosmetic dentist removes the temporary caps and replaces them with the permanent ones. However, the dentist will adjust the crowns before cementing to ensure they sit comfortably on the reshaped teeth. After finding the perfect fit, the permanent crowns will be cemented in place. Adjusting the crowns is necessary to prevent another appointment after they have shifted and changed your bite. Before leaving the dental clinic, ensure the crowns sit comfortably. If you notice the slightest movement, return to the dentist immediately for adjustment, as an uneven bite increases the risk of the crowns chipping or fracturing, forcing you to start the treatment afresh, which is expensive.

Dental Crowns vs. Veneers

Veneers are thin shells or covers, usually 1 mm in thickness, that are attached to the front surface of a flawed natural tooth. In contrast, crowns are 2 mm thick and cover the whole tooth.

The material used in these restorations also differs. Veneers use porcelain or composite resin material, while dental crowns use metal alloys, all porcelain, or porcelain fused to a metal alloy (PFM).

Dental crowns and veneers fixed issues like tooth discoloration, tooth decay or weakening, tooth fracturing, chipping, breakage, and crooked teeth. However, veneers fix these issues if they are minor, while crowns come in when the existing damage cannot be fixed using veneers.

Dental Veneers and Crowns Aftercare

Dental veneers and caps are highly durable and can last at most 30 years with proper care, regular dental visits, and excellent oral hygiene.

You can minimize the risk of damaging these restorations by avoiding complex substances. Your dentist will provide instructions on caring for the restorations, including the foods and bad oral habits you should avoid.

Restorations made of porcelain are highly resistant to staining. Therefore, when you opt for this material, you will enjoy all your foods and beverages without changing. However, even with the stain-resistance elements, you must maintain proper oral hygiene for the best results.

Reasons Your Dentist Might Suggest Veneers Over Dental Caps

Veneers and crowns are cosmetic procedures used to fix many dental issues. Despite the two being restorative methods, many dentists still recommend dental veneers over dental caps. The reasons that inform the decision include:

Veneers Preserve or Conserve The Natural Tooth Structure

Your teeth must undergo minimal or extensive restructuring to enable them to accommodate veneers or crowns. In the veneer technique, the dentist only removes a small portion of the tooth surface to allow them to attach the veneer. The reshaping happens on the tooth's front surface, visible from the mouth, meaning the enamel on the sides or inside of the tooth is left untouched. The amount of preparation depends on the veneer material. When you choose composite resin, the dentist will perform little to no reshaping. Therefore, the existing structure of your teeth is conserved, and the teeth will remain strong long after the veneers are removed.

Besides, when you use composite veneers, the grinding is minimal and in some cases, none is involved. With minimal to no changes on the natural teeth, the dentist does not have to administer local anesthesia. Also, the chances of injuring the nerves or soft tissue are lower because of minimal trimming.

However, a dental crown installation procedure is not conservative. Trimming or reshaping happens from all sides of the tooth: front, back, and the sides, to enable it to accommodate the crown. The extensive trimming of the teeth to achieve the perfect shape for crown installation results in the loss of the original tooth structure. The amount of enamel removed in this procedure is three or more times that removed when attaching a veneer. The reshaping process is highly invasive, and the dentist must administer local anesthesia to keep you comfortable. The more trimming involved, the higher the risk of injuring the nerves and gums.

Once the preparations are over, the tooth is left weak and prone to breakage. The dental crown strengthens it and restores the structural integrity. However, the tooth cannot function normally without support in the future because it is weak. Once you remove the crowns, you might need another procedure to reinforce or strengthen the teeth. 

So, when you want to conserve the natural tooth structure, your dentist will suggest you use veneers over dental caps.

Veneers are More Aesthetically Pleasing and Suitable for Minor Dental Issues

The dentist recommends veneers over caps if you have slightly misaligned, crooked, misshapen, gapped, stained, or chipped teeth. Minor dental issues that deny you an appealing smile, such as misalignment, can be fixed using veneers instead of considering alternatives like metal braces. Again, if the problem is the appearance of the visible teeth, you can use veneers to cover these imperfect front surfaces to conceal the flaws.

Your dentist will not recommend using dental crowns, as they are for more severe oral problems where the damage has affected the strength of the teeth. So, when you have undergone a root canal procedure and the tooth is left weak, you can strengthen it and improve its appearance at the same time using a crown. Unless the damage requires a dental cap to hold the tooth in place and enhance it, your cosmetic dentist will recommend veneers.

Again, crowns expose gum lines or margins after several years, which could adversely impact your smile. However, veneers remain beautiful in the long run because they do not expose the gum lines.

Veneers are Affordable

Per the American Cosmetic Dentistry entity, receiving a single porcelain veneer costs between $925 and $2,500. However, porcelain veneers are more expensive than the composite ones, with the price of composite veneers per tooth ranging from $250 to $1,500. If you are making a decision based on price, porcelain veneers are more durable than the composite ones, making them more affordable in the long run. Therefore, do not base your material choice solely on price.

The price of dental crowns, per the Consumer Guide to Dentistry, is approximately $1,000 to $3,500 per crown. The amount does not include complementary procedures like root canals or buildup, which might be required before the final placement.

Therefore, when you are on a tight budget, veneers can save you money, as they are more affordable. Nevertheless, the price will vary depending on the location of your cosmetic dentistry service, the artistic skills of the dental lab tech, the experience of the dentist, and the dental clinic’s reputation.

Do not let price discourage you from receiving the proper treatment. Even if veneers are more affordable, many insurers do not provide coverage for the treatment, as it is deemed cosmetic. The treatment could be cheaper than veneers if the insurer covers all or part of a crown procedure.

If your dentist recommends veneers and your insurer does not provide coverage for the same, inquire with the clinic if they have financing plans or options. That way, you can pay part of the cost and the balance in installments, making the treatment affordable.

Other reasons include:

  • Veneers have minimal movement
  • They are less sensitive to the supporting teeth

Find a Reputable Cosmetic Dentistry Service Near Me

Dental caps and veneers are restoration solutions that enhance the appearance and functionality. Veneers are used for minor flaws, while crowns are used to address major flaws. However, even though the two are expensive and improve your smile, veneers are the most suitable for minor dental issues and a more durable aesthetic appeal. However, before you settle on a restorative method, discuss the options with your dentist. At Washington Dental, we will explain the merits and demerits of each restoration to help you select the option that suits your oral needs and budget. Call us at 310-217-1507 for a free evaluation in Carson, Los Angeles, Lomita, and Torrance.