Teeth Bonding Vs. Veneers

With the advancement in dental science, newer methods of smile correction and improving one's cosmetic appearance are coming into practice. Teeth bonding, also known as composite bonding and porcelain veneers are the two methods which are widely used in cosmetic dentistry. These procedures offer you brilliant results without the need of undergoing painful, time-consuming treatments. Needless to say, both these dental procedures are very popular amongst masses. Porcelain veneers especially are celebrities' first choice for smile correction. In this article, we are going to underline the differences between bonding and veneers, on the basis of various parameters.

Comparison Between Teeth Bonding Vs. Veneers

Porcelain veneers consist of thin porcelain shells, which are fitted directly on the affected tooth. Tooth bonding, on the other hand is a mixture of various composite resins, which are bonded to the affected tooth, to give it a natural appearance.

Treatment
In veneer treatment, your dentist first assesses the condition of your tooth and overall oral health. He then takes the mold of your teeth, which is sent to laboratory for manufacturing porcelain veneers. The dental technician at the laboratory uses CAD/CAM technology to design custom fit veneers for you. Meanwhile, your dentist prepares the affected tooth for treatment. This involves stripping down the enamel of teeth and reshaping it. Until the time your permanent veneers arrive, you will have to rely on temporary ones. The permanent veneers are then fitted and adjusted on your natural teeth. Tooth bonding is comparatively easier procedure. Your dentist assesses your oral health and condition of affected tooth. He then uses a composite resin bonding to correct the imperfections in the tooth. The whole procedure can be completed in one sitting itself.

Appearance
Both these treatments offer near natural appearance to your teeth. As veneers are translucent, they retain the original color of teeth to some extent. Besides, it is very much possible to make variations to veneer color according to desired tooth color. The translucent material of veneers reflect light just in the same way as natural teeth do. This gives them a very shiny and natural appearance. Besides, porcelain is stain resistant, hence its shine stays there forever. This is the reason why veneers are the first choice for people who wish to improve their cosmetic appearance to a great extent. Composite resins, on the other hand, are somewhat opaque in nature. Hence, they do not render the same look as natural teeth. However, these days a lot of improvements can be seen in tooth bonding procedures, so that the results are often comparable with veneer procedure.

Problems
The first and foremost issue with veneer procedure is that the treatment is irreversible. Besides, the loss of enamel during preparation of teeth often leads to increased tooth sensitivity. Thus, you may experience pain while eating hot or cold foods. Also, porcelain is brittle, hence it may break off under pressure. People who grind their teeth should not go for veneers as possibility of veneer fracture is more in their case. Compared to porcelain, tooth bonding gives you a fewer problems. The only problem with bonding is that it stains over time.

Cost
Veneers are a lot more expensive than composite bonding. The minimum cost of porcelain veneers is about $500 - $1,300 per tooth. The cost is influenced by several external as well as individual specific problems. On the other hand, teeth bonding costs only $200 - $500 per tooth. When your veneer gets chipped or fractured, you need to replace it completely, which further makes it an expensive option. A chipped bonding can be easily repaired by patching it again.

One must take into account their own priorities about smile correction and then assess the various pros and cons of two procedures to find out which one will suit them the best.