Smile Makeover: Choosing Between Dental Veneers and Crowns

A smile makeover is a treatment plan designed to enhance a patient’s smile through various procedures. Two of the most common are dental veneers and dental crowns. Which one of these treatments a dental professional may recommend will depend on the condition of the patient's teeth, including health and appearance, and their goals for their smile.

How dental veneers work

Dental veneers help patients achieve a straighter, more picture-perfect smile. They are thin porcelain or composite-resin shells that fit over the fronts of the teeth, improving the appearance of cosmetic concerns. Thus, they are a common treatment for the front teeth. Some examples include treating front teeth that are:

• Chipped
• Stained
• Too small
• Asymmetrical
• Misshapen

Placement process

To place any type of veneer, the dental provider must grind away some portion of the teeth. Traditional porcelain veneers typically mean grinding down past the enamel (the outermost tooth layer). Composite-resin veneers will also require some of the enamel to be removed. However, as per Healthline, no-prep veneers are a specific type of porcelain veneer that a patient can receive on a tooth without removal.

Candidacy

A major factor in determining candidacy for veneers is the thickness of the patient's enamel in relation to the cosmetic imperfection. For example, teeth that are too small or stained but have a healthy amount of enamel may be improved with no-prep veneers; teeth with chips that do not reach past the enamel may be better served by composite resin or porcelain veneers. Lastly, patients must have generally good oral health and consistent oral hygiene to qualify.

Understanding dental crowns

Dental crowns are toothlike caps that can restore teeth with more severe cosmetic issues, especially when they border on being oral health issues. Take a cracked tooth, for example. A crack can deepen if left alone, eventually putting the tooth at risk for decay and infection. For a case like this, a dental provider can shave down the tooth and place a custom dental crown on top of it to restore its function and appearance.

Besides treating cracked teeth, a dental provider may recommend crowns for stained teeth or worn-down, weakened, or otherwise broken crowns. Additionally, they are a popular and effective option for premolars and molars since they reinforce the tooth's structure.

Types of dental crowns

The most common dental crowns used in a smile makeover are the same shade as natural teeth. These include the following:

• Porcelain (all-ceramic): Crowns made entirely of porcelain.
• Porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM): Crowns with a metal center covered by porcelain.
• Pressed ceramic: Crowns with a center of pressed ceramic.

PFM crowns are the most durable of these options, followed by pressed ceramic. A dental provider can discuss each of the options above in greater detail.