Looking for a way to enhance the appearance of your smile while also protecting your dental structure? Your dentist can develop a personalized treatment plan for your unique dental needs during a consultation appointment.
Each dental service can provide a specialized purpose, which you can learn more about from your dental professional. To give you a strong idea of what to expect before your visit, Dr. Joseph Thompson, a dentist practicing in Greeley, CO, describes the similarities and differences between two effective dental treatments: porcelain veneers and dental crowns.
Brighten the Look of Your Smile with Veneers
If you want a brighter and straighter smile, your dentist may recommend porcelain veneers. These cap-like shells are custom-made for each patient, ensuring a beautiful and natural-looking finish.
Veneers are a cosmetic dental treatment, so they are designed to enhance the look of your teeth specifically. However, porcelain veneers may also offer oral health benefits for your smile, including shielding vulnerable areas on the front of a patient’s teeth from potential damage.
The procedure to receive veneers begins with removing a minute amount of enamel to prepare the affected teeth. You will receive a local anesthetic for optimal comfort during this dental work. Then the dentist uses dental bonding to secure the veneers over the front of your teeth.
Once in place, porcelain veneers can provide cosmetic enhancement to your smile for fifteen years with proper care. Your dental professional can offer aftercare advice to ensure you get the most out of your treatment.
Restore Damaged Teeth with Crowns
Dental crowns are fixtures used in restorative dentistry, meaning their purpose is to improve the structure of a damaged tooth and protect it from further harm. Like veneers, crowns are constructed on an individual basis for each patient, so the ceramic cap can be used to enhance the appearance of a tooth too. Your dentist can ensure that the crown can brighten a discolored tooth, for instance, according to your aesthetic goals.
In this procedure, the dentist will first remove a small amount of enamel from the affected tooth, as with veneers, to make room for the dental crown. Then the dentist will place the crown over the tooth and seal it into place.
The crown can shield the tooth for fifteen to twenty years with appropriate care and maintenance. If the crown becomes loose or damaged, contact your dentist as soon as you can to repair and preserve your restorative treatment.
Learn More About Porcelain Veneers in Greeley, CO
Thompson Advanced Dentistry offers porcelain veneers as well as dental crowns to patients in Greeley, CO. Dr. Thompson specializes in general, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, including tooth replacement solutions, for patients of all ages. If you feel nervous about upcoming dental work, ask your dental professional about sedation dentistry options. To schedule an appointment with our practice, contact our office by phone at 970.205.9614 or reach our staff online.