Having the perfect set of teeth is something everyone desires. An attractive smile can have a positive impact on yourself as it elevates your self-confidence and makes you feel more comfortable while socializing with people. However, oral issues such as damage, missing teeth, discoloration, etc. can upset the aesthetics of your smile.
Restorative and cosmetic dentistry are intended to restore the teeth to their original state and to give the patient a beautiful smile. Among the popular restorative dental appliances, implants, crowns, bridges, and veneers are the most prominent ones. Dental implants and bridges are used to replace missing teeth, whereas dental crowns and veneers are used to restore teeth that are broken, chipped, worn out, and weak. Some of the other cosmetic procedures we offer are composite bonding, teeth whitening, oral cleaning, gum contouring, etc.
Comparison between implants, crowns, bridges, and veneers
Structure
A dental implant is considered to be one of the strongest oral restorations. It is composed of a Titanium stud, that forms the root structure, and a highly durable ceramic prosthetic tooth, that forms the crown. They will be held together with the help of a connecting element called the abutment and dental adhesives. A crown is a cap-like restorative appliance that is placed over a damaged or worn out tooth. It is made from tooth-colored ceramic as well and is hollow on the inside. The tooth goes into the hollow space and will be firmly fixed in position with the help of dental adhesives. A dental bridge is made from dental-grade ceramic that is tooth-colored. But, unlike a crown, it is a solid piece of ceramic that acts as the replacement tooth. It would be combined with crowns on either side to help it stay in place. Veneers are extremely thin ceramic restorations that are bonded to the front surface of the teeth. They are custom-fabricated according to the contour of the teeth and help to remove the surface imperfections.
Procedure
Getting a dental implant requires extensive planning and screening as the metal stud would be inserted into the jawbone in the missing tooth’s place. Multiple visits to the dentist’s office over a few months would be necessary. In the case of crowns, bridges, and veneers, the duration of diagnosis and treatment is comparatively lesser. They can be done in a couple of days. In fact, with a revolutionary technology called CEREC, which is making a lot of heads turn, restorations can be done in as little as a single visit.
Versatility
Dental implants and bridges mainly serve the purpose of replacing missing teeth. Implant studs can replace a single tooth or multiple teeth, based on the patient’s requirement. Sometimes, an entire ridge of teeth can be restored using just four implants. On the other hand, crowns and veneers have a lot more applications. They can be used to treat teeth that are chipped, cracked, broken, worn out, or weak. They prevent a tooth from undergoing failure due to its vulnerabilities.
Longevity
Dental implants are known to offer excellent longevity. Implants of high quality most often last an entire lifetime. Crowns, bridges, and veneers do last long, but not as much as implants. Based on the way you take care of them, they can last between 10 to 15 years, after which they will have to be redone.
Candidacy
As a patient, you’ll have to satisfy a lot of conditions to get dental implants. Factors such as overall state of health, jawbone thickness, and volume, malocclusion, spacing available for placing the implant, gum diseases, etc. will be taken into account. For crowns, veneers, and bridges, there wouldn’t be so many conditions as they are simple restorations.
What is composite bonding?
Composite bonding is the process of applying several layers of resinous material on the teeth to restore their shape, structure, and functionality. The dentist will customize the resin according to the color of your teeth, apply it to them, and shape it accordingly. A curing light is used to harden it, after which the restoration will be polished. Teeth that are chipped, misshapen, or cracked can be restored using this method.
Teeth whitening for a Brighter Smile
Teeth whitening is a simple yet effective process of removing the stains from the surface of the teeth. A whitening gel containing hydrogen peroxide is used for the purpose as it acts as a bleaching agent. Some of the common teeth whitening procedures are conventional in-house whitening, at-home whitening kits, and laser teeth whitening.
Tooth-colored Fillings
Fillings are predominantly used to fill cavities caused by tooth decay. They are also used to restore the shape of broken or chipped teeth, cover cracks on the surface of teeth, fill occlusal grooves, etc. Since they are customized according to the appearance of the teeth, they are indistinguishable.
Call us at (760) 433-9255 or schedule an online appointment to have a personal consultation with our highly-experienced dentists. We would be more than happy to guide you further with your oral restorations.