Heart Health: Don't Neglect Dental Care

If you have chipped, stained or darkened teeth and are ready to restore your smile, it is time to consider the different ways of improving your smile with veneers and crowns. It is important to note that given the recent advances in dental care, you can often have the restoration that you need in as little as three dental appointments. Porcelain veneers are a better long-term choice for severely damaged teeth, while composite veneers have a shorter life-span and both affix to the front of your tooth. Dental crowns cover the entire tooth, which is a more comprehensive procedure. .

#1-Porcelain Veneers Can Last 10-30 Years

Porcelain veneers are now attached to your teeth using superior technology that includes better cements and bonding agents, they can last anywhere from 10-30 years. You can often extend the period of time before they need to be replaced. Composite veneers are known to last about 7 years and crowns last 5 to 15 years.

Common ways to extend the life of your porcelain or composite veneers include:

• Consulting with your dentist about how you can avoid grinding your teeth

• Being pro-active with on-going dental care to avoid new decay, gum disease etc.

• Avoiding injury through the use of a mouth-guard, helmet, etc. whenever appropriate

• Not smoking

#2-Veneers Do Not Always Require Extensive Modifications To The Tooth

It was not long ago that in order to get veneers, you always had to make extensive changes to the underlying tooth in order for the tooth to be able to attach to the new veneer. Fortunately, that is no longer always the case. That is especially significant when comparing veneers to dental crowns, which are used as a cover for the entire tooth.

Fortunately, one of the newer examples of veneers is the no-prep veneer, which is as simple as it sounds. It does not require any minimizing of the tooth structure in order to attach the new veneer to it. Similarly, a low-prep option is also available, with both avoiding any unnecessary damage to the dentin.

#3-Porcelain Veneers Are Resistant To Many Stains

One important aspect of an improved smile is obviously going to be how easy it is to maintain it. Composite veneers are made of a plastic-based material and are prone to staining. As a result, you may find that you spend more time with your dentist keeping them white than you actually want.

Porcelain veneers are more resistant to stains. As a result, you are likely to still be happier with the results of your dental work after a few years than you might otherwise be with other dental repair options.

In conclusion, porcelain and composite veneers, as well as dental crowns, are all ideal ways to improve the function or usability of teeth. However, porcelain veneers are often the better choice due to their long life, resistance to staining, and in many cases, how easy it can be to get them. Talk to your family and cosmetic dentistry office for more information.