General Dentistry — The Key to Overall Health
The new year is a great time to take charge of your health and well-being. One way you can do this is by improving your smile. It’s true that a healthy and beautiful smile can boost your self-esteem. We love seeing our patients’ confidence grow after they’ve had a treatment for a chipped or damaged tooth. In fact, even our patients are amazed that they could feel so good. Have you been considering restoring a damaged tooth?
When are crowns and veneers used?
Crowns and veneers are both dental restorations that can improve the appearance of your teeth. The difference is that crowns cover the entire tooth while veneers only cover the front surface of the tooth. Patients choose these kinds of treatments to fix teeth that are:
- Chipped, cracked or broken
- Discolored
- Crooked or uneven
Which treatment you choose will depend on the condition of your teeth. If there is severe damage or decay, a crown will be recommended.
What are crowns?
A crown is made to cover an entire tooth. The tooth is ground down (more than would be required for a veneer) to make room for the crown. The dentist will remove any decay and, depending on how much of the tooth is removed in the process, may also need rebuild some of the tooth before crown placement.
What are veneers?
Veneers leave more of the original tooth intact because they only cover the front surface of teeth. Only a very small amount of the enamel of the front tooth is ground down before the veneer is placed. Since veneers only cover the front of the tooth, they are not used on damaged or decayed teeth.
Both crowns and veneers are made of strong materials that function just like your natural teeth. These materials also blend in to match the color of your teeth. No one will notice they aren’t your original teeth, but they will notice your beautiful smile. If you are interested in discussing how a crown or veneer can benefit your teeth, please call our office to make an appointment.
