At Harford County Dentistry, we provide a wide range of dental services to ensure that we can meet the needs of all of our patients. Two of our most common treatment options are porcelain veneers and dental crowns.
Many patients struggle to understand the differences in these two treatment options; however, they serve different purposes within your smile. To better understand the differences between dental crowns and porcelain veneers, read more below.
Dental Crowns
Dental crowns are considered a restorative dentistry treatment option. This is because they are traditionally used to cover and correct extensively damaged, chipped, or decayed teeth. Dental crowns replace the entire exterior of a broken tooth. To apply a dental crown, your dentist must first shape down your natural tooth to a foundational core that will support the restoration.
Patients love dental crowns because they allow them to correct extensive dental damages without the need for a total tooth extraction. While your tooth roots maintain intact, the dental crown cosmetically and functionally replaces the entire exterior portion of the affected tooth.
Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are considered a cosmetic dentistry treatment option. They are primarily used to help patients conceal major or minor blemishes on their dental structures. Patients can choose to have one veneer placed, or several veneers depending on their cosmetic needs and goals.
Utilizing porcelain veneers to conceal discolored, misshapen, or crooked teeth allows patients to achieve a more uniform smile. The porcelain veneer is only meant to replace the front-facing portion of your tooth instead of the entire exterior, as a dental crown does. This means that porcelain veneers require significantly less enamel removal than dental crowns.
Dentist in Fallston, MD
Dr. Kimberley Comeau is an experienced cosmetic and restorative dentist in Fallston, MD. She helps patients achieve beautiful and healthy smiles with porcelain veneers and dental crowns.