Dental crowns and porcelain veneers are two dental solutions that are very similar, but serve different purposes. At the Annapolis dental office of Dr. Vernon Sheen, we provide both dental crowns and porcelain veneers to our patients. As your trusted dentist in Annapolis, MD, we wanted to provide some additional information on these two dental solutions to assist you in making an informed decision on future dental care. Learn more below:
Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers primarily serve cosmetic dentistry purposes. They allow patients to conceal minor blemishes on their dental structures such as small gaps, stains, chips, or cracks. Created to be a ceramic shell that fits over the front-facing portion of your natural tooth, a veneer cosmetically replaces your natural tooth while allowing you to maintain the functionality of your natural tooth beneath it. Patients can get one veneer or a full mouth of veneers depending on their cosmetic or budgetary goals. Many patients seek porcelain veneers when they are looking for a complete smile makeover that is minimally invasive, or requiring very little enamel removal.
Dental Crowns
Some chips or cracks are too severe to be restored with porcelain veneers. Porcelain veneers fix your damaged tooth cosmetically, but cannot help much when the functionality of your tooth has been compromised. To better treat patients with severely damaged teeth, we often recommend dental crowns. Dental crowns are prosthetic caps that are created to replace the entire exterior of your tooth. Supported by the foundational core of your natural tooth, dental crowns require extensive enamel removal but allow patients to avoid the need for a complete tooth extraction. Once complete, the dental crown will blend in cosmetically with the rest of your smile, similar to a veneer, but will also have restored the functionality of your damaged tooth.
Schedule An Appointment
Are you in need of a dental crown? Are you curious to know what your smile would look like with porcelain veneers? Schedule an appointment with Dr. Sheen today!