Which Type of Veneer Is Best for You?

In recent years, dental veneers have quickly become one of the most popular cosmetic dentistry procedures. The reason for the popularity of dental veneers is obvious — they can instantly transform your smile. Dental veneers are essentially tooth-colored and tooth-shaped shells attached to the front face of your teeth to transform their external appearance. With one procedure, we can hide your stains, discoloration, chips, cracks, and gaps between the teeth, making your teeth look perfect, white, and uniform. But when considering dental veneers, you have to make one major decision — selecting composite veneers or porcelain veneers.

Below, we describe composite veneers and porcelain veneers, including their unique advantages, drawbacks, cost differences, and other factors. Once you have all the information, you can make an informed decision about which type of veneer to use.

Composite Veneers

Composite veneers are made of engineered composite resin, an extremely malleable material that’s attached to the front face of your teeth. During a procedure known as composite bonding, the cosmetic dentist applies the cosmetic resin material to the surface of your teeth to hide/ conceal all the stains, chips, and cracks, making your teeth look flawless. Composite veneers can be applied in one session, so you can walk out of the dental clinic with the perfect smile. Furthermore, the cosmetic dentist doesn’t have to make any adjustments to your existing teeth, so the procedure can be reversed — you can have the composite veneers removed.

While composite veneers are extremely convenient, they’re not as powerful as porcelain veneers. You can get composite veneers if you want to hide some of the superficial stains, discoloration, and cracks on your teeth, but they’re not suitable for major smile makeovers. Composite resin isn’t the most durable material, so the veneers will be prone to developing cracks over time, especially if you bite hard objects. Composite veneers have a lifespan of 4 to 6 years, following which they have to be removed. That means composite veneers are extremely temporary, and you may need to repair or replace them regularly.

In some cases, composite veneers might not look completely natural. A casual observer won’t be able to tell the difference between the composite veneers and your natural teeth. But if someone takes a closer look, they’ll notice that you have composite veneers. It’s also worth noting that composite veneers can accumulate stains and get discolored over time, eventually becoming yellowed and discolored.

Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers are widely considered the best option for dental veneers. But the porcelain veneer procedure is slightly more involved and complicated than composite veneers. You need two sessions for porcelain veneers. During the first session, the cosmetic dentist will take impressions of your teeth and file away some of the enamel from your teeth — the enamel must be shaved off to accommodate the porcelain veneers. Since this procedure involves a modification of your natural teeth, it’s irreversible — you can’t simply remove the porcelain veneers. The cosmetic dentist will send the impressions to a dental laboratory to prepare the permanent dental veneers.

Once the permanent dental veneers are prepared, you will return for your second session. The cosmetic dentist will use dental cement and other materials to etch and bond the permanent porcelain veneers to your teeth. Once the porcelain veneers are attached, the cosmetic dentist will polish and adjust them to ensure optimal cosmetic appearance. While the porcelain veneer procedure is longer, it’s also more effective. Porcelain veneers are indistinguishable from natural teeth. Porcelain has the same shade, texture, and translucence as enamel, and it also reflects light in a similar manner. As such, porcelain veneers can dramatically transform your smile, and the results look completely natural.

Porcelain veneers are also stain-resistant. No matter how much you drink coffee or tea, your teeth will always remain bright and white. Most patients can make porcelain veneers last for 10 to 15 years with optimal care and maintenance, following which they have to be replaced. Porcelain veneers are also more durable than composite veneers, and they don’t get damaged as easily. But if your porcelain veneer is damaged, it can’t be repaired — the entire dental veneer will have to be replaced. Porcelain veneers are also more expensive than composite veneers, but they don’t have to be repaired or replaced as often, so the cost evens out in the long run.

What Does Getting Porcelain Veneers Involve?

If you’re getting porcelain veneers, you can expect two sessions. During the first session, the cosmetic dentist will remove the surface enamel from your teeth and take impressions of your teeth, which will be sent to a laboratory. You will have to wear temporary veneers until the permanent veneers are prepared. Once the permanent veneers are prepared, they will be bonded to your teeth using dental cement.

What Are The Treatments For A Gap Between The Front Teeth?

If you have gaps between the front teeth, you can get porcelain veneers on the adjacent teeth to conceal the gap. Your cosmetic dentist will recommend the ideal treatment plan for gaps between the front teeth.

What Should You Know Before Getting Veneers?

If you’re about to get dental veneers, you should know that you will always need porcelain veneers after the procedure. In order to provide porcelain veneers, the cosmetic dentist must remove some of the enamel from your teeth, so the procedure is irreversible. Even when the porcelain veneers are damaged, you will need to get new ones.

Schedule An Appointment For Teeth Veneers Near Me In Houston

Dentist Open On Saturday is one of the best dental clinics for cosmetic dentistry in Houston. Our cosmetic dentists carefully examine your teeth, discuss your goals, administer imaging tests, and curate a personalized treatment plan for you. If you’re confused about which type of veneer is best, our dentists can help you make the decision. We have state-of-the-art cosmetic dental offices in Uptown Houston, Midtown Houston, and Montrose. Please schedule an appointment for teeth veneers near me in Houston today.