Many people’s self-confidence is very closely linked to how they feel about their smiles. Often, the first thing someone notices about you is your smile, as it’s both a way to communicate and a key aspect of your appearance. A bright smile with straight teeth seems to be an important factor in smile aesthetics, and many feel pressure for their smile to be as aesthetically pleasing as possible. While some people are born with a perfect smile, not everyone is so lucky. Fortunately, at Brockley Dental Center, we have a solution! Using cosmetic dentistry, we enhance the appearance of your smile, allowing you to smile and live more confidently. Two popular procedures that revitalize your smile are dental bonding and dental veneers. While both procedures have their own benefits, we can help you make an informed decision between cosmetic bonding vs. veneers.
Cosmetic Bonding vs. Veneers: How They Improve Your Smile
Dental bonding is the process of using tooth-colored composite resin to improve the appearance of your smile. While it does have restorative properties, we also use dental bonding in cosmetic procedures!
For covering small imperfections like chips, cracks, and slight discoloration, bonding is a perfect, non-invasive procedure that allows for a quick fix.
Dental veneers are thin shells of porcelain or ceramic that, like bonding, cover the imperfections of your smile. However, instead of covering a portion, veneers cover the entire front of your tooth, similar to a press-on nail, but much more secure. Additionally, veneers can perfect larger issues than dental bonding, like mishappen teeth, misalignments, and severe discoloration!
Because we use dental veneers to cover the whole front of your tooth, we can also customize every little detail of your smile. The shape, length, size, and color of your veneers are entirely up to you as you design your ideal smile!
The Bonding Process vs. the Veneers Process
When deciding between cosmetic bonding vs. veneers, it’s important to understand the differences in their procedures.
Dental Bonding
Dental bonding involves applying resin directly to your teeth. To better adhere to your smile, we will lightly etch the enamel of your teeth, creating small grooves for the bonding material to latch onto. Once the preparation is complete, we will apply the resin, shaping it over the problem areas of your smile. Using a specialized light, we cure the resin, hardening it into a durable material that matches the natural material of your teeth. The dental bonding process is generally simple and takes only one appointment to complete.
While dental bonding can’t do everything veneers do, it provides a great way to cover small imperfections with less hassle!
Dental Veneers
Before beginning the veneer process, we must ensure you’re a good candidate. Because veneers only cover your enamel’s imperfections, problems below the surface of your smile will only worsen if ignored.
Any underlying issues like decay or root canal infections will require treatment before proceeding. Additionally, those with little enamel left from the wear and tear of life may be poor candidates for veneers, as they need sufficient enamel to remain secure on your smile.
Dental veneers have a more complex process, as they last longer and provide a more dramatic enhancement. To prepare your teeth for veneers, we will take a minimally invasive approach, gently removing a small layer of your front-facing enamel.
This process is generally painless, as we use a local anesthetic for the comfort of patients like you. Once your teeth are prepared, we will provide temporary veneers to protect your smile and maintain aesthetics.
While wearing these temporary veneers, you can make changes and determine what shape, length, size, and color look and feel best in your smile! Any changes you make to your temporary veneers will be made in your final version as well.
When your final veneers arrive, you’ll try them on. If everything looks and feels good, we’ll cement them in place! In general, the veneer process takes around four visits, and at your last, we’ll perform a bite check to ensure your smile is still functional.
Afterward, you should visit us around every 6 months to maintain the health and appearance of your smile!
Smile Confidently With Cosmetic Veneers at Brockley Dental Center
A smile is an important part of life and identity, so feeling confident about it is important. With cosmetic procedures like bonding and veneers, you can put your best smile forward! At Brockley Dental Center, we will help you determine which procedure will provide the best results for your smile.
If you’re interested in dental veneers, schedule a diagnostic appointment today!
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