At Victory Plaza Dental, we make dream smiles come true with a range of cosmetic dental services. Tooth bonding and veneers are two of the most popular treatments that can transform your smile with the help of a skilled cosmetic dentist.
If you want a pearly white smile, read on to discover the difference between bonding and veneers and which one could be right for you.
What Is Tooth Bonding?
Tooth bonding uses a special material called composite resin to cover the surface of your teeth. The resin leaves you with a shiny finish color-matched to the rest of your teeth.
Bonding fixes discolored or stained teeth without the need for teeth whitening or bleaching. Additionally, bonding can correct imperfections like cracked or chipped teeth. It can be more affordable than veneers and offers long-term results that last up to 10 years.
During the bonding process, your dentist will use a shade guide to make sure the material matches the color of your teeth. They’ll roughen your teeth’s surface before applying the liquid, then make sure the material hardens with ultraviolent light.
Tooth bonding is a highly customizable treatment that can give you the beautiful smile you’ve always wanted. At the same time, it can address issues like minor cracks or chips that impact your confidence and oral health. Overall, it’s a great treatment to not only enhance your teeth but improve your smile’s aesthetics as well!
What Are Veneers?
Porcelain veneers help restore teeth’s appearance with custom-made covers. A veneer is not like a dental crown or cap that covers the whole tooth; instead, veneers are flat covers used on the front teeth that can cover cosmetic imperfections. They can also help improve the symmetry of your smile by adjusting the appearance of each tooth’s shape and length.
The porcelain in veneers comes from a glass ceramic called leucite. It is extremely durable and long-lasting, so it can be worth the higher price point.
At Victory Plaza Dental, we offer several types of veneers to help each patient get their dream smile.
Traditional Veneers
Traditional porcelain veneers cost about $950 to $2,500 per tooth depending on the location. They are long-lasting and come in 15 shades to color-match your smile. Dentists use porcelain veneers to correct a wide range of cosmetic imperfections, like shipped or cracked teeth, short teeth and misshapen teeth.
Composite Veneers
We use composite resin to create veneers that whiten teeth. These veneers last four to eight years and take one office visit to complete. Like porcelain veneers, composite veneers can give the appearance of straighter teeth, but they don’t correct improper alignment. Shifting your teeth into a straighter position requires braces or clear aligners.
Lumineers
These ultra-thin veneers are just 0.02 mm in diameter. They are translucent and can give a more natural tooth color than porcelain or composite veneers. Lumineers are also extremely long lasting with an average lifespan of 20 years.
Palatal Veneers
Also known as palatal onlays, these veneers correct front teeth that have deep erosion. We often suggest palatable veneers for patients with teeth damage from acid reflux.
Removable Veneers
Typically, veneers are permanent. However, there is a type of removable veneer that can be ideal for patients with cosmetic issues they want to address now but get a permanent treatment for later. We can place and remove removeable veneers any time you’d like, and they don’t require any tooth recontouring, so your permanent teeth aren’t affected.
Comparing Tooth Bonding and Veneers
Tooth bonding and veneers are both great treatments to give you a whiter, straighter smile. However, it is important to know the difference between bonding and veneers before working with a dentist. Most of all, you want to make sure you understand the pros and cons of each treatment option.
Tooth bonding is less expensive than veneers and faster; veneers are a more permanent solution, but they are not ideal for teeth with serious damage.
Pros and Cons
Let’s look at the pros and cons of each type of treatment to help you better understand what benefits they offer and any drawbacks worth considering.
Tooth Bonding
Tooth bonding uses resin to give you a dramatic smile makeover in one or two office visits. Our North Hollywood cosmetic dentists use the highest quality material to restore their patients’ confidence by correcting ships, cracks and disproportionate teeth.
Pros
– Cheaper than veneers
– Last five to seven years
– Fast, painless procedure
– Requires no tooth recontouring
– Ideal for minor cosmetic issues
Cons
– Not as durable as porcelain
– Not stain-resistant
– Color can dull over time
Veneers
Veneers are often the go-to solution for patients who have moderate cracks or chips in their front teeth. They offer a semi-permanent solution and need replaced once or twice per decade. By using veneers, cosmetic dentists can help patients achieve brighter, straighter smiles.
Having different types of veneers available also gives you plenty of options when it comes to your budget and end results.
Pros
– Long-lasting solution with an average lifespan of five to 10 years
– Require zero downtime
– Limited to no touch-ups necessary
– Can address a wide range of cosmetic issues with front teeth, like chips, cracks and stains
Cons
– Cost is higher than bonding and may be out of some patients’ budgets
– Require reshaping the tooth and permanently altering the enamel (unless using removable veneers)
– Do not respond to teeth whitening, so they have to be color-matched before treatment
– Can break or chip with too much pressure or force
Who Is a Good Candidate for Each?
Veneers are ideal for patients with mild to moderate dental imperfections, such as cracks, chips, stains or mildly crooked teeth. Bonding is best for patients who have mild stains and discoloration or small chips or cracks.
Let’s look more closely at who can benefit from each type of procedure.
Who Should Get Tooth Bonding?
Bonding is best for patients with overall good oral health who want to address tooth discoloration. They may have stains or naturally darker teeth that do not respond as desired to whitening treatments. Bonding is not the ideal solution for more serious issues like large cracks or chipped front teeth.
Who Should Get Veneers?
Veneers have various applications, but they are best for patients who want to improve the natural shape or appearance of their smile. Thanks to modern technology, your dentist can apply veneers quickly and reshape them to fit your mouth perfectly.
Cost Comparison
Veneers are more expensive than tooth bonding with a price range of $950 to $2,500. The exact cost of veneers depends on the location of the tooth and the type of veneers you choose. Alternatively, tooth bonding is less expensive with an average cost of bonding is between $300 to $600 per tooth.
Maintenance and Care
Bonding lasts an average of five to seven years while veneers can last up to 10 years with proper maintenance. The most important factors to consider are your oral hygiene and regular check-ups. For example, veneers can make it harder to floss properly because the space between your teeth can become narrower. In that case, you will want to consider using a water flosser and taking extra care to protect your mouth from bacteria.
Generally, tooth bonding and veneers do not impact your day to day life with excessive maintenance. Instead, you will need to regularly brush and floss and visit your dentist for routine check-ups and cleanings.
Your dentist will let you know the ideal maintenance schedule for your veneers or bonding to keep your smile healthy and beautiful.
Conclusion
Tooth bonding and veneers are both excellent treatment options for restoring your smile and improving its aesthetics. However, patients with more moderate to severe damage on their front teeth may benefit from bonding over veneers.
The best way to determine the right treatment for your smile goals is to reach out to a professional, experienced dentist who can help. The team at Victory Plaza Dental in North Hollywood are always here for you!
Get a Personal Recommendation From a North Hollywood Dentist!
Contact us today to schedule a consultation appointment with one of our dentists. Call (818) 927-0726 to speak with us about our services and financing options. We look forwarding to meeting you!