You might find it a bit confusing to understand the difference between veneers and crowns. Sometimes people refer to dental crowns as veneers or even as dental implants. They all are different and play different roles in dental treatments.
WHAT IS A VENEER?
A veneer is an overlay of material that is placed on the tooth. They are used for cosmetic purposes in most cases, to aesthetically improve the condition of the teeth. Veneers not only improve the shape of teeth but the size, colour and fill in the spaces in teeth.
Veneers have been around for almost a century, they were first created by a dentist called Charles Pincus in California. He created them as a temporary solution to improve the teeth of Hollywood actors. These veneers were a day to day temporary solution as mentioned before and were to be removed during meals and naps. As time has progressed the purpose of veneers has stayed the same however techniques and durability of the teeth has changed.
Today veneers are made of different materials, some are made of an organic composite material and others, most commonly are made of porcelain. They are much more durable than veneers from the past and can last up to 20 years if they are made of porcelain and up to 10 years for composite veneers. This is because they are bonded to the teeth with dental cement and it creates a very strong adhesive.
SHOULD I GO WITH LAMINATE VENEERS OR FULL VENEERS?
Your decision on what type of veneers you should go for should be taken seriously. It is important to consult your doctors and decide what your specific oral needs are. Both laminate veneers and full veneers have the same function to improve the appearance of teeth, restore ones smile by changing the shape, colour and fix gaps in teeth.
Laminate veneers are much thinner than full veneers and allow for just a small amount of enamel to be shaved off the original tooth. They are effective if the patient has already small teeth and does not want to alter the original form of their teeth too much. Because laminate veneers are so thin approximately as thin as a false fingernail the placement does not require the original tooth to be shaven off as much as the case of full veneers.
Full veneers are more effective and durable and in most cases less costly than laminate veneers. However for full veneers to be placed the original tooth has to be altered and enamel shaven off to allow the crowns to be bonded to the tooth. They are more natural looking than laminate veneers.
There are many different factors that come into play when deciding what teeth you should go for, cost and placement method are some but the dentist will give the best advice according to one’s specific needs.
ZIRCONIA OR PORCELAIN CROWNS. WHATS THE DIFFERENCE?
Zirconia and porcelain crowns are both crowns placed onto teeth the difference is the material they are made of. Zirconia crowns contain about 90% of Zirconium oxide which causes these crowns to be very strong and durable. The material is biocompatible and safe, there are very strong and resistant to chipping this allows the crowns to last more than 10 years with good care. Zirconia crowns also come in different colours and are more natural looking than porcelain.
Porcelain crowns are made of ceramic material that consists of different compounds such as Lucite, mica and silica. These crowns are not as strong and are preferred by people that do not pressure their teeth too much, they also provide a great aesthetically pleasing smile. They need less preparation of original teeth for placement and lastly they reduce teeth temperature sensitivity.