Dental Veneers Vs. Bonding: Which is Better?

What Are Dental Veneers?

They are dental restorations in cosmetic dentistry that repair and restore teeth’ appearances. Dental veneers typically feature a tooth-colored material called porcelain. Porcelain is prepared into a tooth-like shape that can cover the entire front surface of a tooth. Unlike dental crowns, a veneer does not encapsulate the entire tooth. It prioritizes the front side of the tooth to correct aesthetic dental flaws.

What Is Dental Bonding?

It is the process of repairing teeth with composites. Composite is a tooth-colored putty-like resin that hardens on tooth surfaces to mask underlying dental problems. Cosmetic dentists apply the composite resin to the front sides of teeth, then use lasers to harden it. Only in its hardened form can composite restore your teeth.

How Are Dental Veneers and Bonding Similar?

There is a reason cosmetic dentists use dental veneers and composite bonding frequently to repair and restore teeth. These dental restorations are similar in that they prioritize the aesthetics of teeth, providing suitable solutions to various dental issues. Cosmetic dentists near you can use dental veneers and composite bonding to correct the following oral problems:

1. Spaces between teeth – instead of wearing braces for several months, a cosmetic dentist can close spaces between your teeth as long as they are not big gaps.
2. Crooked teeth – mildly crooked teeth can also be corrected without teeth aligners.
3. Stained teeth – dental discoloration does not always require enamel bleaching. Dentists can mask the stains on your teeth using porcelain veneers and composite bonding.
4. Oddly shaped teeth – pointy, unusually short, or rounded teeth can all benefit from restoration protocols with dental veneers and bonding.
5. Worn down, chipped, cracked, and broken teeth – dental trauma and excessive teeth grinding are the typical causes of such structural problems. Cosmetic dentists can repair your teeth with dental bonding or veneers.

Which of the Two Is Better for Your Treatment?

Advantages of dental veneers over composite bonding

1. Durability – dental veneers in Torrance last longer than composite teeth. Porcelain veneers can last for between 15 and 20 years, compared to composites, which last between 5 and 8 years.
2. Sturdiness – porcelain is a sturdier material than composite. Therefore, dental bonding is more likely to chip, crack or break than porcelain due to long-term usage.
3. Stain resistance – porcelain resists stains better than composites. Unless you are keen on your teeth after composite bonding, they will get stained. It takes a lot more to stain porcelain veneers than composite bonding.
4. Natural-looking results – while both composite and porcelain are tooth-colored, porcelain looks and feels life-like more than composite. Porcelain veneers are semi-transparent, meaning they mimic teeth in various aspects.

Advantages of dental bonding over veneer teeth

1. A quick fix to dental problems – dental bonding is a procedure that lasts about 45 minutes when restoring your tooth. It means you can be in an out of the dental office in under an hour. Conversely, dental veneers require extensive procedures that might take up to two weeks to complete.
2. Painless and non-invasive treatment – a dentist in Torrance, CA, will not cut any soft tissues or trim your tooth enamel when performing dental bonding. The only requirement for dental bonding procedures is roughening the tooth surface to promote adherence. On the other hand, dental veneers require shaving a sizeable portion of your tooth on the front side to make room for the porcelain veneer.
3. Reversible treatment – unlike dental veneers near you, which are permanent, dental bonding is reversible. You can choose to remove the hardened composite resin from your teeth and retain your natural teeth.
4. Can treat dental cavities – an overriding advantage of composites over dental veneers is that they can repair dental cavities. Dentists at Sparkle Family Dentistry have used composites to fill teeth as alternatives to metal-based dental fillings like amalgams.

Ultimately, the choice between dental veneers and bonding is unique for every patient. It depends on your underlying oral problem and your predominant preferences. If you prioritize durability and sturdiness over every other factor, you should get dental veneers over composite bonding. However, if you want a quick solution that you can reverse at any time, get composites instead.