Veneers, Crowns & Bridges
What are veneers?
Veneers are a thin porcelain covering placed over the front of the teeth to improve their appearance. They are often used to mask discoloured teeth to match your natural teeth. Also, they can be used to hide or “straighten” the crooked smile, giving a more appealing smile.
Different types of veneers?
Two major types of veneers differ based on the materials and how they are made.
Porcelain veneers have a superior aesthetic outcome. They give a natural and lifelike appearance. When porcelain veneers are bonded to the tooth, the best match the natural properties of the tooth. Thus, they can last well over 15 years.
The second type of veneer is composite resin veneer. They are made directly in your mouth, similar to white fillings. Composite veneers can improve the teeth’ colour, shape, and alignment to produce a more appealing smile. Composite veneers usually require little or no shaping of your natural teeth.
Crown
A dental crown or ‘cap’ is placed on top of a broken-down tooth to restore its shape. It encircles the remaining tooth and restores the integrity of the tooth.
Tooth decay can lead to extensive damage to the tooth, leaving only a little bit of tooth above the gum. Such weakened teeth are more likely to break down further during chewing. Imagine the amount of force on your tooth when crunching down on peanuts. So, these broken-down teeth need to be strengthened and protected, so you can chew comfortably without the fear of breaking the tooth.
Crowns can be made from gold, zirconia, porcelain and metal fused to porcelain. The material selection usually depends on the location of the tooth in the mouth, aesthetic needs and the loaded tooth needs to withstand during eating and other habits.
Bridge
One approach to replace one or more missing teeth is using dental bridge. Artificial teeth can be anchored to adjacent teeth to replace the gap present.
Depends on the conditions on the abutment teeth, it can be cost effective and alternative option to dental implant and partial denture.