Composite Veneers vs Porcelain Veneers

Dental veneers are thin shells of tooth-colored, translucent porcelain or composite resin. They are custom made to fit over your teeth and improve their color, shape, look and overall appearance of your smile.

Veneers can improve issues ranging from discoloration to gaps between the teeth and can greatly improve your smile and appearance.

Veneers are placed to the front (visible) surfaces of usually the front teeth in order to improve the appearance, lustre and color. They are also used to:

• Correct poorly shaped, crooked or broken-down teeth
• Change the shade or color of badly stained(internal/external), yellow or discolored teeth
• Close spaces or correct crowding
• Improve the smile by changing the amount of tooth showing at a maximal smile in congruence with the lip lines

Dental veneers can improve the appearance of the teeth but they cannot realign the jaw or correct overbites and underbites.

Only an examination by your dentist can determine whether dental veneers are appropriate for making the changes you want.

Veneers are made of either composite resin (bonded or direct veneers) or from porcelain (ceramic/indirect veneers)

When done correctly, both can give you a beautiful smile, but there are the differences between the two. When determining which option is the best solution to your tooth issues, it is important to weigh in your lifestyle.

Dentists in India can help you to choose the best option in improving your smile and to achieve your desired look. For smokers and those who enjoy tea, coffee or red wine will enjoy the durability of a porcelain veneer. For those who want to get the process done in one visit, composite is a great alternative.

1. Composite veneers

When it comes to composite veneers, minimal prep work is required on your natural teeth to allow for placement of composite resin in the desired shape and size without added tooth bulk.

Composite veneers are used in situations in which smaller changes have occurred.

It can make a big difference to you smile, helping correct minor cosmetic issues like small gaps, cracked or damaged, discolored teeth and minor misalignments.

Composite veneers cannot fill in large spaces so many dentists will recommend not to use composite veneers when you have big spaces between the teeth, or if large part of the tooth is broken.

For composite veneers more maintenance is required as they are very porous and therefore susceptible to staining.

If there’s more substantial damage or staining to the teeth then porcelain veneers are usually the preferred option

Advantages of composite veneers

• Composite veneers are more affordable, cheaper than porcelain
• The composite procedure tends to be much less invasive and noticeably quicker than porcelain
• They can be repaired if they chip or break
• Completed in a single appointment
• Porcelain veneers can be done afterwards, so resin can be used as an interim measure as well

Disadvantages of composite veneers

• Composite veneers are not as durable as porcelain veneers and more maintenance is required as they are more likely to chip
• Composite veneers tend to stain more easily (especially if you smoke or drink tea, coffee or red wine)

2. Porcelain veneers

Porcelain veneers are one of the most beautiful restorations available in cosmetic dentistry. It can mimic natural teeth in a way which is not possible to achieve with any other dental material.

Porcelain is a far stronger material and can fill in much larger spaces than composite. Porcelain veneers are very strong and durable, they rarely chip and are color stable. It requires reshaping of your natural teeth in order to fit the veneer.

Porcelain veneers offer the most natural, tooth-like aesthetics because porcelain has a translucent, light-reflective quality similar to tooth enamel, they look extremely natural.

It is also highly resistant to staining and chipping due to the strength of the material. It offers a viable treatment solution for all cases of worn enamel, wear and tear, genetic defects, uneven teeth, etc.

Composites may not be a viable option for severe concerns. For example, significant discoloration or spacing issues may not be adequately treatable with composite veneers; making porcelain veneers your only option.

Porcelain veneers look great and the difference they can make to a smile is remarkable.

Reputed dental clinics in India conduct a thorough oral health evaluation as part of your consultation to determine your options. Make sure to tell your dentist what you would like to achieve.

Advantages of porcelain veneers

• Ceramic/Porcelain are the most natural and lustrous looking and offers superior aesthetics as it mimics natural tooth enamel in translucency and has light-reflective quality similar to tooth enamel.
• Porcelain extremely resistant to staining and will not change shade over time
• Porcelain veneers are very durable and have great strength qualities, being more resistant to chipping/fracture
• They are highly accurately fitting to the underlying tooth, ensuring no gaps or ledges to trap food/plaque and are extremely easy to maintain

Disadvantages of porcelain veneers

• Porcelain veneers are fabricated in a dental laboratory and therefore require at least two visits
• Porcelain veneers are more expensive than composite veneers
• Porcelain veneers cannot be repaired. If they break, porcelain veneers must be replaced

Both materials can beautifully transform your smile. Your dentist can help you decide which procedure or combination of procedures is right for you.

Cosmetic dentists in dental clinics in Delhi are routinely doing veneers for patients wanting the wow factor in their smile.

Porcelain veneers are highly esthetic; nevertheless, in the right hands, composite veneers can achieve beautiful natural aesthetics as well.

The important part is to opt for composite veneers only for the right situations.

However, if you have a severe aesthetic concern, or you’re looking for the most natural and durable treatment solution then porcelain veneers will give you a fantastic result.

With a little preparatory work to your existing teeth, porcelain veneers can be used to completely rebuild your smile and provide you with perfectly white, perfectly shaped teeth.

It ultimately comes down to how much you are willing to invest in your treatment. If cost is not consideration porcelain veneers would be the choice as they produce better results for the vast majority of people.

However, when it comes to fixing minor cosmetic problems, composite veneers are an affordable and effective alternative.

Before choosing a certain type of veneer, you should first find out if dental veneers are the right solution for you.

Veneers are not appropriate for everyone or every tooth; thus, case selection is a very important factor in the success of this technique.

Dentists in Delhi make sure that they do a complete a complete and thorough evaluation of your unique considerations to determine which option is right for you.

Posted by- Dr Shriya