Your big day is just around the corner – you and your fiancé have planned everything down to the most minute detail to make sure your wedding is meaningful, memorable, and fun. Thinking about your upcoming nuptials makes you smile – and when you do, you realize that your pearly whites are anything but. You want to address the small gap in the front, the shorter teeth on the sides, and make them as sparkling white as possible. So, you do your research, but you’re not sure if composite bonding or porcelain veneers would be better for you. What are the differences and how can they improve your grin? Dr. Christopher Connolly, your trusted dentist in Sewell, gives you the facts you need to decide.
What Are Porcelain Veneers?
As your cosmetic dentist in Sewell, Dr. Connolly likes to define what each smile enhancement is before comparing and contrasting their benefits. Veneers are thin, yet durable shells of porcelain that are permanently bonded to the front side of your teeth after they’ve been prepared.
What Is Composite Bonding?
Cosmetic bonding, on the other hand, is the application of composite resin (which is a dental-grade plastic, biocompatible substance) to your teeth. In the past 15 years, this service has become popular as a way to address cavities, rather than using amalgam (silver) fillings. If you’ve had a cavity recently, you may have had bonding done without even realizing it.
What Are Veneers And Bonding Used For?
In most instances, porcelain veneers and composite bonding are used to address the same cosmetic and functional smile issues, including:
- To adjust the shape and size of teeth
- To repair chipped or fractured teeth
- To correct staining and discoloration in teeth
- To make teeth appear longer
- To fill in the gaps between teeth
Veneers can also be used to address alignment issues like crooked or rotated teeth without the use of braces. And, in addition to treating cavities, bonding can also be used to protect the lower portion of a tooth when its root has been exposed.
Veneers Vs. Bonding
When comparing and contrasting veneers and bonding, it’s important to remember that each solution offers unique advantages, even though they’re often used to address the same problems. Take a look at the list below to see how these stack up against each other:
- Lifetime – Veneers tend to have a lifespan of 15-20 years with proper care, while bonding usually lasts a maximum of ten years.
- Cost – Bonding is less expensive initially when compared to veneers, but veneers need to be replaced less frequently and are a good long-term investment.
- Invasiveness – Veneers are a more invasive procedure that require Dr. Connolly to remove some of your original enamel, and these permanently alter the shape of your natural dentitions. With bonding, however, the composite resin is applied directly to your teeth and is a less invasive treatment that doesn’t require the removal of enamel.
- Strength – Although both materials are durable and made to be used, the porcelain in veneers is typically stronger than the composite resin used in bonding.
- Treatment Time – Composite bonding can be accomplished in just one dental visit, whereas porcelain veneers require 2 visits, with 1-2 weeks wait time in between (this allows a lab to custom-create your permanent veneers that are applied at the second visit).
As you can tell, both veneers and bonding offer benefits. If you have questions about what’s right for you, give us a call or schedule your appointment with Connolly Family Dentistry today!
