Veneers vs. Crowns — Choosing the Right Procedure

Studio City, Burbank, North Hollywood

People usually seek cosmetic dentistry solutions to reverse age-related dental issues. If you rarely smile because you are self-conscious, this may be affecting social aspects of your life and your self-esteem.

Dental crowns and porcelain veneers are two very different treatments. There is not much overlap in the types of defects they can address. Both crowns and veneers can correct discoloration by covering it. But typically a crown corrects more severe problems than veneers.

When Veneers Can be Used

Veneers are a cosmetic dental procedure. If a tooth is intact and healthy and has only minor defects which mar the smile, veneers can be used to cover the small defects. Examples of such small defects are:

Small gaps between teeth - not large ones which would probably require orthodontics for correction
Slight crookedness - not major crookedness, which would imply crowding and need orthodontic correction
Small chips or cracks - not large chips or deep cracks which are allowing bacteria to spread beneath the enamel. These would need a porcelain filling or a crown.
Slightly mis-matched sizing - not severely unequal sizing. If one tooth is far smaller than its neighbors perhaps a crown would be needed to build it up and perhaps the larger teeth could be slightly reduced. A highly customized remedy would be devised.

When a Crown is Required

Crowns can give cosmetic enhancement, but that is a secondary benefit. They are used primarily to correct structural damage. When a tooth is too damaged or decayed to support a filling, a crown is used to completely enclose what remains of the tooth. This protects the stub and prolongs its life.

Such damage may have been caused by gum disease. When bacteria spread into the gum tissue around a tooth and into the tooth's pulp chamber (interior space), much destruction is caused. All debris, bacteria, and decayed tooth tissue must be removed, and little tooth tissue may be left.

The pulp is the tooth's blood vessels and nerve, protected inside the enamel and dentin layers. If decay breaches those layers and destroys the pulp, endodontic work (a root canal) becomes necessary. The tooth's interior space is cleaned out and filled with a cement that will seal it off from future bacterial invasion. Then a porcelain crown replaces the lost natural crown. It gives a new chewing surface and lengthens the tooth's life.

Sometimes a crown may be used to correct a person's bite - the way upper and lower teeth meet. If one tooth is too large and is pushing the bite out of alignment, it can be reduced and covered with a porcelain crown. That can bring it into balance with the sizing of other teeth.

If you would like to learn more about veneers and crowns and which one might be a better option in your case, the first step is a consultation with Dr. Jamie Sands or Dr. Jason Sands. Please contact Smiles By Sands in Studio City, California to schedule your consultation.