I have a few teeth I want to fix with cosmetic dentistry. I’ve been doing some reading on options. Porcelain veneers are almost unilaterally considered the best option. But, cosmetic veneers seem a close second and are more affordable. Yet, everywhere I look on a dentist’s website they show porcelain veneers but not cosmetic veneers. Why don’t dentists offer them?
Cyrill L.
Dear Cyrill,
Many dentists do offer them in the right circumstances. Websites don’t have pages for every service the dentist does, the websites would be too bulky and confusing. Instead, they place on their site the services that fit with their thrust and philosophy of practice.
While composites are cheaper, they’re made of completely different materials which is much more susceptible to staining and chipping. They also have limitations as to which situations they can fix. Additionally, they’ll have to be replaced well before their porcelain counterparts have to.
Porcelain veneers can last a lifetime. The natural translucency of porcelain also makes them a much more beautiful and natural looking restoration.
Which to get depends more on what your goals and needs are. If you’ve just got a couple of chips and dings, then using composite materials may be ideal. In fact, you’d likely go with dental bonding. But if you’re wanting a smile makeover which completely transforms your smile and last for years to come, then you’ll really want porcelain veneers.
Or, it could be neither of that. Maybe you just need to whiten your teeth. In that case, just bleaching your teeth would be an even more affordable option. Just be sure to do it through a dentist to get the optimal results.
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