2 Situations Where Dental Veneers Might Work Better Than Bonding

Cosmetic dentistry offers a couple of ways to change the actual shape of your teeth. Dental veneers and bonding both serve a similar purpose of creating a new front for your natural teeth but the two vary in the degree of change achievable with veneers generally offering more change versatility. So there are certain situations where dental veneers work better than bonding.

Always consult with your dentist to make sure your particular situation would work best with veneers.

Intrinsic Staining

Dental staining falls under two categories: extrinsic or intrinsic. Extrinsic staining happens on the outside of the enamel and occurs due to drinking tea, coffee, or red wine or using tobacco products. Teeth whitening at the dentist's office can usually clear up extrinsic staining.

But intrinsic staining can be rather hard to clear up as the stains are on the dentin rather than the enamel. The staining happens due to genetic discoloration, certain medications, or worn enamel that allows beverage staining to happen on the dentin.

Veneers and bonding can both theoretically cover extrinsic staining as both cover the exterior of the tooth to form a new artificial enamel and dentin layer. But veneers are a better choice if you experience frequent staining whether its intrinsic or extrinsic. The veneers are made of a stain-resistant porcelain while bonds are made out of resin that can stain as much as natural teeth when exposed to staining food or drink.

Large or Close-Set Teeth  

Both veneers and bonding require the dentist to file down the exterior of the natural tooth so that the cementing agents can take hold. Bonding tends to require less filing because the resin material is crafted closely around your tooth before it is hardened with a special light. Veneers, which are essentially an attached artificial cap, require more filing to make room for the cap.

If you have large or close-set teeth that require a great deal of filing, veneers might be the better option. The dentist will be able to file down the affected teeth substantially and then build a cap that makes the exterior of each tooth match the coordinating teeth. Bonding can only be built up so far before becoming more likely to chip under bite force.

Likewise, veneers might work better for severely small teeth that need building up. Bonding would therefore work better for teeth that are only slightly misshapen or gapped apart.

For more information, contact The Center For Progressive Dentistry or a similar location.

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