Getting veneers is a huge quality of life upgrade for those who may have damaged teeth, but it isn’t so much of an easy decision to make. Choosing if you want to get veneers constructed out of resin or porcelain is a decision worth considering based on your dental needs.
Of course, your San Antonio family dentist, Dr. Kevin Sandefer, at Alon Dental Care would be happy to help you take out all of the guesswork in getting the veneers you need that can revive your sparkling smile.
What are Dental Veneers?
A dental veneer is a thin layer of material–usually resin or porcelain–that is custom made to fit over damaged teeth. They provide several kinds of benefits to your oral health:
- Cosmetic Benefits – Veneers improve the appearance of the teeth and mouth as a whole.
- Structural Benefits – Veneers are also an easy fix for crooked or misshapen teeth.
- Functional Benefits – Veneers restore chipped teeth and teeth that have been worn down with age, disease, accidents, drug use, or injuries.
No matter what wore down your teeth, veneers can help you restore that aesthetically pleasing aspect of your smile while bringing back functionality, but what exactly is the difference between resin and porcelain veneers?
Choosing Resin Veneers
Also referred to as composite veneers, this material allows for a quick, one-visit fix that costs half as much as their porcelain counterparts. They are efficient, durable, and won’t break the bank.
This material can be likened to plastic and will last anywhere from 5 to 10 years depending on the skill of the dentist. Resin veneers are a good fit in these situations:
- A minor dental issue such as a tooth becoming misaligned.
- The discoloration of the tooth.
- Chipping or minor injury to the teeth.
Keep in mind that resin veneers should be avoided by smokers, coffee drinkers, or wine connoisseurs as the surface stains far more easily than porcelain, and veneers should also not be used for patients with sizable spaces between teeth.
Selecting Porcelain Veneers
If you are looking for a more durable and higher quality tooth repair, you may want to ask your dentist about porcelain veneers. Unlike resin veneers, which can be implanted in a single visit, the process of obtaining porcelain veneers is a bit lengthy. To start, one would need to visit their dentist in order to get a mold or impression of their teeth.
The veneers themselves are then made in a dental laboratory while the patient undergoes tooth preparation in the meantime. This often involves certain teeth modification in order to fit the mold snuggly.
Porcelain veneers are a good fit in these situations:
- One has a significant amount of space between teeth.
- The patient is aiming for a more natural look.
- A reliable, sturdy material is recommended by the dentist.
Patients usually also wear temporary veneers for several weeks as the final veneers are under construction. While porcelain veneers do provide a bevy of benefits over resin, they should be avoided by those with a tighter budget or by those who are avoiding a sizable waiting period.