Are you looking for a way to improve the appearance of your smile? Has your tooth sustained damage and requires reparative treatment? These may seem like vastly different dental concerns, but your dentist can address these issues using similar dental treatments.
Both dental crowns and porcelain veneers can cover a tooth and offer restorative and cosmetic benefits. But they have many differences as well. Dr. Greg Reece, a dentist serving patients in Charlotte, NC, provides further details regarding dental treatment with porcelain veneers and dental crowns.
Smile Enhancement with Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are shell-like caps that a dentist adheres to the front of a patient’s teeth to create a straighter and whiter smile. They are classified as cosmetic dental treatments, but they have oral health advantages as well.
They can simplify a patient’s oral hygiene routine, which in turn lowers their risk of developing dental problems. Veneers also can cover spots where enamel has weakened on a tooth, shielding vulnerable underlying dentin.
Dentists construct porcelain veneers in their dental lab according to a patient’s aesthetic goals as well as the existing structure of their smiles. They will scrape a minute amount of enamel from the teeth to prepare the surface and then use bonding to secure the fixtures in place. Patients can experience smile enhancement benefits for fifteen or more years with proper care and maintenance.
Protecting Damaged Teeth with Dental Crowns
A dental crown is also constructed on an individual basis in a dental lab. Because of this, this restorative dental tool can also be used to improve the look of a dental patient’s smile. It can cover a severely stained tooth and give it a whiter and more regular appearance.
Dental crowns are usually made from ceramic and will fit over a damaged tooth like a cap. In order to place the crown, the dentist will make room for the cap by removing a small portion of enamel from the affected tooth. The crown seals into place with dental cement.
A crown will provide long-lasting structural benefits for a dental patient, repairing teeth that have chipped, cracked, or experienced advanced tooth decay. As with veneers, crowns can last for more than fifteen years if a patient takes care of their dental work. This entails avoiding abnormally high pressures, which may happen if biting down on hard items or grinding or clenching teeth.
Dental Crowns and More Available with Your Dentist in Charlotte, NC
Dentistry of the Queen City offers dental crowns and other restorative dental treatments to patients in Charlotte, NC. Dr. Reece also specializes in implant, general, and cosmetic dentistry, including porcelain veneers, for patients of all ages. If you feel nervous about upcoming dental work, ask your dental professional about sedation dentistry options. To schedule a consultation or appointment with our practice, contact our staff by phone at 704.486.8911 or reach our office online.