Your smile is one of the very first things that people will notice when they first meet you. A good smile could make or break your job interview or your chances to go out with the new girl in town. Unfortunately some people may encounter the mishap of developing tooth decays and cavities that could ruin the way their teeth look. Teeth could show open holes, turn yellow with decay, or simply get misshapen and broken. There are several ways to fix this but two of the most common cosmetic dentistry procedures are dental veneers or dental crowns. They seem similar, but each has its own purpose and procedure.

Both crowns and veneers are designed to cover your teeth. They may be used to cover decays and cavities or they could be used for aesthetic purposes. Some people just want to cover yellow teeth to make them look whiter and cleaner. The difference lies in the details. To put is simply, a dental crown is a procedure where the molding covers the entire tooth while a veneer is designed to cover only the front area of the tooth. Here is a brief look at both procedures.

Dental crowns – a dental crown is where your entire tooth is covered with a special mold that will protect your tooth especially if you have cavities. The dentist will have to shave your tooth down by a good two millimeters or more. The goal is to shave everything off and leave only the core of your tooth. This is to treat the tooth in case the decay could have started from the inside. It will also allow the mold to fit the tooth that it covers. A dental crown generally lasts for ten to fifteen years before it will need to be replaced with a new crown.

Dental veneers – a dental veneer is very similar in nature but it only covers the front area of your teeth. In this case the dentist will only have to shave off less than one millimeter of your tooth so that the mold could fit and cover the front area. A dental veneer is generally made of porcelain or resin. The veneer is used for aesthetic purposes unlike the crown which is for medical treatments. A person with yellow teeth or has visible damage from cavities can turn to a veneer to cover the damages.

Both the dental crown and veneer are ideal for those who want to smile without having to worry about the way their teeth look. Both of these procedures will cover up holes and decays as well as make your teeth white and clean looking. You will still need to get damages treated because these treatments are only for aesthetic purposes and to prevent further damage from occurring.

Dr. Anderson is the experienced Cosmetic Dentist you need to help you choose the procedures that are right for you.  You can have the beautiful smile you deserve with help from Premier Dental.  Contact us at (208) 904-1188 for more information or to schedule a consultation.