Porcelain Vs. Composite Veneers: What’s the Difference

Veneers are an excellent option for making aesthetic corrections with your teeth or getting a smile makeover. You can consider two versions of dental veneers to enhance the looks of your teeth and your smile.

Determining which veneer best suits your needs depends on various factors and the corrections you want to have made with your teeth. If you are one among many contemplating smile enhancements using cosmetic dentistry procedures and want to learn more about the features of veneers and the differences between the two versions, continue reading on and arrange a meeting with the dentist near you to determine your eligibility for these excellent surfaces.

Features of Porcelain and Resin Veneers

Porcelain and resin veneers serve similar purposes but significantly differ in investment in your smile, durability, and ease of getting them on your teeth. However, surfaces aim to improve the looks of your chipped, cracked, discolored, gapped, uneven, and correct minor orthodontic problems impacting you and your smile.

Before you decide on getting veneers to correct the dental flaws in your teeth, it helps if you discuss your aesthetic goals with the nearby dentist by arranging an appointment with them. The examination will get you more information about both types of veneers and which variety best suits your needs.

How Are Porcelain Veneers Better Than Resin Veneers?

After collecting information about porcelain and resin veneers, you might wonder which version is better to improve the looks of your smile. While both options hide dental defects similarly, significant differences exist, giving porcelain veneers in Katy, TX, an edge over resin veneers. If you want to understand the differences, a list is compiled below for your benefit.

Differences between Porcelain and Resin Veneers

Porcelain Veneers

  • Time: porcelain veneers typically require at least two visits to the dentist in Katy before getting them bonded over your teeth. The additional visits are necessary for the dentist to remove a layer of enamel from your teeth, needing the surfaces to accommodate them. After enamel remover the dentist impressions your teeth for the dental laboratory to customize the porcelain surfaces which requires about three weeks.

    While waiting for your porcelain veneer fabrication, you can wear temporary acrylic veneers over the affected teeth to protect them. When you revisit the dentist after three weeks, they will bond the porcelain surfaces of your teeth to hide all dental imperfections.
  • Durability: Although considered fragile, porcelain surfaces will remain on your teeth for over a decade. The porcelain becomes incredibly durable after bonding to healthy teeth but requires appropriate attention to maintain or extend their longevity to over 15 years. If you brush and floss as advised by the Katy dentist and receive regular checkups and cleanings, porcelain veneers will last longer than their intended duration.
  • Aesthetics: the transparent properties of porcelain enable the veneer to reflect light similarly to your natural teeth. In addition, the porcelain surfaces are stain resistant, making them advantageous because they prevent the need for whitening treatments after getting them on your teeth.
  • Cost: the cost of porcelain veneers remains the highest among the two versions available to improve the aesthetics of your smile. Furthermore, porcelain veneers are non-reversible because the tooth enamel removed by the dentist does not regenerate to make the surfaces a permanent placement on your teeth.

Resin Veneers

  • Convenient: if you intend to get resin veneers in Katy, you will not need more than one appointment with the Katy dentist because resin veneers are bonded over your teeth in a chairside appointment. The dentist matches the color of the resin to your natural teeth and adds it over their surfaces after etching your teeth with a conditioning liquid by painting it over them. After painting the composite resin, the dentist hardens and polishes the material to make your teeth appear pleasing, enabling you to walk out of the dental clinic with a new smile.
  • Durability: resin veneers, while improving the appearance of your teeth, do not have the durability of porcelain veneers. The composite resin tends to chip and crack and will need replacements every 5 to 7 years. In addition, the resin is not as durable as your tooth enamel, making it essential to exercise caution with your teeth after getting resin surfaces.
  • Aesthetics: while resin veneers appear beautiful, they do not match porcelain surfaces in aesthetics. Resin surfaces can stain with frequent consumption of darkened foods and beverages besides lifestyle habits like smoking. Therefore you may require teeth whitening treatments from the dentist even after getting resin shells on your teeth.
  • Prices: the prices of resin surfaces will make you think they are more affordable. However, considering their shorter lifespan, you will likely prefer the porcelain version because they remain on your teeth longer and offer other benefits.

Whether considering porcelain or resin shells on your teeth to cover dental flaws, visit Charm Dental Katy to determine which option is best for your needs. The practice providing both versions will assess your teeth and recommend the appropriate variety to improve your dental flaws and give you a beautiful smile.

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