Pros And Cons Of Porcelain Veneers Vs. Resin Bonding

14 January 2016
 Categories: Dentist, Blog

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Cosmetic dentistry specialists use both porcelain veneers and resin dental bonding to correct chips, cracks, intrinsic staining, and other types of tooth damage. The type of damage can determine whether a veneer or bond is best but often either could work for the same issue.

Why then would a patient want to consider asking for a porcelain veneer instead of resin bonds? There are a few pros and cons of veneers to take into consideration before your dental consultation.

Pro: Durable and Stain Resistant

The porcelain used in dental veneers is a high quality, durable material that is crafted in a lab before the piece is bonded to your tooth. Porcelain has a natural translucency that mimics natural teeth, but the translucency does not equal weakness. Veneers are able to withstand the standard bite force associated with chewing.

Porcelain also doesn't turn yellow the way that natural teeth can when eating or drinking staining materials. The resin of bonds can stain, and the stain isn't able to be bleached in the same manner as natural teeth. A severely stained bond will likely need to be replaced.

Pro: Custom-Fit for Better Correction

Dental bonds are formed into shape directly on your tooth while veneers are lab-created and then affixed to your tooth. The differences in creation and application mean that veneers are generally better to correct a wide variety of cosmetic dental issues.

Veneers can be used to completely reshape the front of the tooth. The dentist can first file down the existing tooth as necessary and then attach a carefully crafted veneer to form the new appearance. Teeth that are overly small or large and substantial cracks or chips can all be treated with veneers.

Bonds are essentially dental fillings performed on the exterior of the tooth. The resin material can be used to cover cracks, chips, and minor shape issues. But the bonds can't completely reshape the tooth in the same way as veneers.

Cons: Higher Cost and Longer Treatment Time

If budget is a major deciding factor, resin bonds might be a better choice for you than porcelain veneers. The base porcelain material is more expensive and the lab creation process also adds more to the total cost.

Veneers also take more time from start to finish since your dentist will first need to make molds of the tooth or teeth and then create the veneer. If your dentist doesn't have a lab in the office, the veneer order will need to be sent to an outside lab, which adds more time. The veneer will then need to be adhered during another office visit. 

For more information, contact Dental Associates PC or a similar organization.