Porcelain Veneers vs. Dental Bonding: Which is Right for Your Smile?

Sweet or savory. Organic or conventionally grown. To walk or to ride. Heads or tails.

Sometimes making a decision is hard. You can visit every pro and con of either argument and still be as unsure as you were when you started.

Thankfully, choosing a method for fixing your smile doesn’t have to be so difficult. You have two great options here at Blevins Dental: porcelain veneers and dental bonding. Both methods can be done in one day and both can give patients a better smile by removing imperfections.

What are Porcelain Veneers?

Porcelain veneers effectively act like a mask that cover your teeth. Thin pieces of porcelain, that are about the same thickness as a contact lens, are shaped to match your natural teeth. They are then bonded to the front of your tooth to cover up any chips, stains, or other issues that you’d like to address. Before bonding, a thin layer of enamel must be removed from your tooth.

Despite being thin, when bonded to your teeth, veneers become very sturdy. Here at Blevins Dental, we use CEREC® technology to craft porcelain veneers for our patients. This means we can create veneers in an hour, and it also means we can ensure a perfect match with the rest of your teeth to give you a healthy, natural-looking smile.

What is Dental Bonding?

Dental bonding uses a tooth-colored composite resin to repair a chipped or fractured tooth. It can also be used to make your tooth longer. The composite resin can be matched to the color of your teeth and is applied freehand by your dentist. It can be shaped before it hardens and bonds to the tooth, which allows the dentist to cover up imperfections.

Bonding can also be done in a single visit and looks quite natural. The goal is to fill any gaps and provide a strong tooth that lasts.

Are Porcelain Veneers Right for My Smile?

Veneers can be the right choice over dental bonding for several reasons:

• Veneers can solve more cosmetic issues than dental bonding.
• Because veneers are custom made with CEREC® technology, it’s practically impossible to notice the difference between veneers and your natural teeth.
• Veneers are more resistant to stains than dental bonding.
• Veneers can easily be applied to multiple teeth in one session.
• Veneers typically last longer than dental bonding.

Despite these benefits, there are a few reasons people may not choose to get veneers:
Dental veneers are not reversible. Because enamel must be removed, you cannot simply decide to get rid of them. Fortunately, our patients love the results they see with dental veneers.
Dental veneers usually cost more than dental bonding.

Is Dental Bonding Right for My Smile?

For some patients, dental bonding really is the right choice.

Here are a few reasons why dental bonding might be right for you:

• It’s effective at solving minor cosmetic problems, such as filling in gaps, correcting chips, or making subtle changes to the shape of teeth.
• The process is simpler and cheaper than dental veneers.
• Minimal removal of enamel is required.

Again, bonding may not always be right for patients.

Here are some of the reasons you may not choose dental bonding:

• Dental bonding is more susceptible to stains from coffee, tea, smoke, and more.
• Dental bonding doesn’t usually last as long as porcelain veneers.
• Dental bonding cannot do a complete makeover of your smile; you need veneers for anything more than minor cosmetic issues.

What’s Next?

Basically, dental bonding is great for minor issues, but invasive cosmetic changes will require porcelain veneers. However, if you’re still unsure which method is right for your smile, visit Dr. Blevins for a consultation.

Here at Blevins Dentistry, we take great pride in listening to our patients and providing them advice and service to help them achieve their goals. We want to give you a smile you can be proud of, and we believe we have the experience, tools, and knowledge to do so.

Contact us today for a consultation – having a great smile is an easy choice!

Sources:
What is the difference between dental bonding and veneers?
Are there other alternatives for improving my smile?
Dental Bonding
Veneers