Porcelain Veneers vs. Dental Crowns

Porcelain veneers and dental crowns are both wonderful cosmetic procedures for correcting or enhancing the look of your smile.

The greatest difference between the two is the amount of your tooth’s surface that is covered by each procedure. Dental crowns typically encase an entire tooth. Porcelain veneers cover the surface that shows when you smile.

Dental Crowns.

A dental crown is cemented onto a tooth after it has been reduced in size. To prepare your tooth for the crown, Dr. Alhadef will grind down all sides of your tooth to reduce the overall size and create a tapered shape. The dental crown made for your tooth will fit over the newly shaped tooth and be cemented into place, giving your tooth a whole near appearance.

Porcelain Veneers

The classic porcelain veneer is a very thin ceramic covering that is bonded onto your tooth. As noted above, a dental crown encases the entire tooth, but a veneer only covers the area that shows when you smile. A porcelain veneer is also much thinner than a dental crown and the procedure requires minimal shaving of the tooth in preparation for bonding.
Uses For Each Procedure

There are three main reasons to decide to use a dental crown or a porcelain veneer.

Dental Crowns:

To rebuild teeth that are badly broken or decayed.
To offer a strong surface for a tooth used for chewing and biting
To give a significant new appearance to the entire tooth (not just the surface)

Porcelain Veneers:

To improve the color and give a minor shape change for a tooth.
To enhance a tooth that is generally healthy with minimal damage
To create a beautiful, straight smile in lieu of braces or other orthodontics

If you live in the Dallas area and would like to learn more about how Dr. Alhadef can improve your smile with dental crowns or porcelain veneers, please contact our office today to schedule a consultation.