Veneers and Cosmetic Bonding

Veneers and cosmetic bonding are cosmetic dentistry procedures at Fallbrook Dental Care that are used to treat many of the same cosmetic concerns. Both can mask the perception of small gaps between teeth, tilt a tooth, or change the shape or color of teeth.

However, veneers and cosmetic bonding are quite different. Veneers are a cosmetic dental treatment for covering the surface of the tooth. They are typically made of porcelain, which can be made to look like your natural tooth structure.

Bonding is a cosmetic dental treatment for covering the surface of the tooth. With bonding, a tooth-colored resin material is applied to the surface of the tooth and hardened with a special light.

What Are Veneers?

Veneers are thin, custom-made shells made from tooth-colored materials, and they are designed to cover the front surface of your teeth. To prepare for veneers, your dentist will need to remove a thin layer of enamel from the teeth being covered. Impressions are taken of the teeth, which are sent to a dental lab where your veneers are custom-made. In a week or two, you will return to your dentist’s office to have the veneers placed. 

What Are the Advantages of Veneers?

Veneers offer patients several advantages over older cosmetic procedures, such as crowns and caps. First, veneers are less invasive. Because they cover only the front surface of a tooth, only a small amount of tooth enamel needs to be removed. Veneers are also reversible, unlike crowns or caps. This means that they can be taken off at any time.

Who Should Use Veneers?

Veneers are a quick, convenient solution for stained, chipped, or misaligned teeth. If your teeth are only slightly stained, not chipped, and not misaligned, bonding or contouring may be a better cosmetic dental choice. However, if multiple teeth are stained, chipped, or misaligned, veneers may be the better choice. This is because veneers cover the whole tooth, rather than just the front surface, like bonding or contouring.

What is Cosmetic Bonding?

Cosmetic bonding is the application of a tooth-colored resin, which resembles the color of a tooth, to the teeth to improve the shape, color, and alignment of teeth. This resin is cured with a dental light.

With cosmetic bonding, teeth are healthy and functional. It does not typically replace the need for other, more permanent treatments, such as porcelain veneers.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Cosmetic Bonding?

Cosmetic bonding can be a great option for patients with cosmetic concerns, such as broken teeth, chipped teeth, gaps in teeth, or stains on teeth. The procedure can also be a good option for patients that wish to enhance the appearance of their smile.

Benefits of Cosmetic Bonding

One of the most attractive qualities of dental bonding is its ability to improve the appearance of your smile in a single visit. Because dental bonding is non-invasive, there is no recovery time needed. Your dentist will carefully apply the composite resin to your teeth and sculpt it into the desired shape and size. The resin is then hardened and smoothed for a natural appearance.

Visit Fallbrook Dental Care at 645 E. Elder Street Suite A, Fallbrook, CA 92028, or call (760) 728-8375 to learn more about veneers and cosmetic bonding and to choose which option is ideal for you with Dentist Fallbrook, CA.