If you are interested in cosmetic dental treatment, you probably heard dental bonding or porcelain veneers. These methods enhance the beauty of your smile and also can make up lost or problematic teeth. We are at Chatfield braces London offers a wide range of excellent services in cosmetic dentistry. One of the most popular treatments for our patients is dental bonding. Some of the patients asks about differences between dental bonding and porcelain veneers and that is why we gathered some informative data to help you decide which one of the cosmetic treatments are the best choice for you.
What is dental bonding?
Composite dental bonding is a cosmetic dental treatment that is cheaper in comparison the other methods like veneer and porcelain. It is also the easiest method to get the same result as the other methods in a few hours. Composite dental bonding is also known as teeth bonding treatment. The material that is used for dental bonding is a complex composite resin. Dentists will mix different colours to make a natural shade for teeth covering material. Then it is time to apply and shape resin on the tooth. This flexibility can use to cover chipped, decayed, fractured or discoloured teeth in your mouth. If you have a gap between teeth, you can also use dental bonding treatment to alter the shape of teeth.
The bonding method needs less time to prepare. Otherwise, porcelain veneers and dental crowns required a customized mould to make the best fit for your teeth. This part needs time in the laboratory and probably take more than one session in dentistry. Dental bonding does not usually need anaesthesia. Before applying the composite resin to your tooth, your dentist will use a shade guide to make sure the colour of the composite resin is completely suitable for you and it is matched the rest of your teeth.
After this, the surface of your teeth is slightly etched to roughen them, the dentist uses a conditioning liquid and a thin layer of liquid to help the bonding material better adhere. After applying the resin, the dentist use ultraviolet lights to harden the resin material. To finalize the teeth, the dentist use tools and different equipment to make your smile perfect.
Who are the candidates for cosmetic bonding?
If you have minor cosmetic blemishes or teeth discolouration it is a good idea to use dental bonding treatment as a solution. Tooth bonding can be used in these conditions:
- Your tooth chipped by an accident
- Cracks on the surfaces of your tooth because of the low and high temperature
- Minor stains on teeth that are caused by food or plaque
- A tooth with a non-functional shape or misshapen teeth
- Tooth gaps can easily cover with dental bonding
- Exposed tooth roots because of receding gums or mouth diseases
What are dental veneers?
Dental veneers or porcelain veneers are some kind of ceramic shell that is approved for medical use. Veneers permanently can have bonded to the natural teeth. If you have minor dental issues such as misshapen teeth and crowded teeth, then veneers can be effective in changing the colour or shape of the broken tooth. There’s also another option named resin veneers that is similar to real teeth and they are also better in resisting stains in comparison to normal composite bonding.
Porcelain veneers are the best choice for patients who have severely discoloured, broken or worn down teeth. They are also a good choice for people who wants to close the gaps between front teeth. Dental veneer treatment also takes more sessions, unlike dental bonding. The first step for dental veneer is taking an X-ray of your teeth. Then, the dentist reshaped the tooth with veneer material.
Who are the candidates for Porcelain Veneers?
As we said before, porcelain veneers are known as instant orthodontics, because patients can use this treatment for many dental issues. Patients who have severe dental issues such as tooth discolouration and misaligned teeth can easily benefit from this life-changing method. Porcelain veneers can address these issues very well:
- Chipped tooth
- Stained tooth or teeth discolouration
- Tooth gaps between from teeth or lost tooth
- Malformations of teeth in your mouth
- Teeth misalignment
- Orthodontic cases (so all of the orthodontic cases doesn’t need braces)
- Uneven teeth that cause the asymmetrical smile
- Irregularly sized teeth (short or tall, thick or narrow teeth)
Benefit: Composite Bonding means No Drilling or Enamel Removal
The first thing we should say is that dental bonding is an additive process. It means in dental bonding dentists don’t remove any part of your teeth. Instead of removing, they cover up imperfections with composite resin. So this process doesn’t require any drilling or enamel removal. This process is reversible too (in case you didn’t like the result!).
On the other hand, dental veneers require permanent enamel removal. It is a very challenging situation because enamel can never be restored. So if you choose dental veneers for your teeth, it means you should keep them for the rest of your life. Before making any decision consider these points we mentioned about tooth bonding and dental veneers.
Dental Bonding Doesn’t Last in comparison to dental veneers
Dental bonding usually lasts for about 5 to 10 years with good dental hygiene and aftercare but the dental veneers last even longer than composite bonding. Dental veneers last for at least 10 and a maximum of 20 years with proper care.
So dental bonding is cheaper and also has a shorter lifespan in comparison to dental veneers but dental veneers are permeants and your tooth enamel will be completely removed by a dentist.
Dental veneers are More Expensive Than Tooth Bonding
The cost of composite bonding treatment is significantly cheaper than dental veneers if you want to calculate the cost per tooth. As we talked about before, it is cheaper because the whole process of dental bonding is a lot simpler and faster than dental veneers. Also, composite bonding does not involve the dental laboratory and x-ray photography expenses. So if you don’t want to spend so much time and money and want a good result, dental bonding is a good option for you.