If you feel unhappy with the way that your smile looks, visit your dentist as soon as possible to discuss cosmetic dental treatments that can help you accomplish your smile aesthetic goals. Dentists can form treatment plans to brighten and reshape your teeth according to your unique needs.
Tooth bonding and porcelain veneers are two treatment options that will enhance the appearance of your teeth. But they vary when it comes to how they can achieve this. Read on to learn how these two cosmetic dental procedures compare and contrast with one another.
Sculpt the Smile of Your Dreams with Tooth Bonding
Tooth bonding refers to a procedure in which a dentist uses tooth-colored composite resin sculpted to the teeth to enhance the smile’s appearance. The procedure begins with etching into the enamel of the teeth to prepare the surface and make it easier to adhere the resin. To ensure you remain comfortable during this process, you can receive a local anesthetic.
Then they apply the resin and mold the malleable material where needed. They cure and harden the resin to solidify and seal it into place. And they give it a final polish to complete the treatment within this one session with your dentist. This creates a cement-like seal for lasting results.
You can see a whiter, fuller, and more even look in your smile with dental bonding. This makes for an affordable yet effective way to enhance the look of your teeth at your dentist’s office. With proper care, bonding will last for three to ten years, but you can get touch-up treatment if needed.
Bonding can be susceptible to staining if you are not careful. So follow your dentist’s aftercare guidelines to keep your bonding looking and feeling its best. If you have questions about your specific treatment and results, schedule a consultation with your dentist.
Build an Enhanced Smile with Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers refer to custom-made shells that a dentist makes to suit your unique dental needs and attaches to your teeth to enhance the appearance of your smile. You will need more than one appointment with your dentist to complete this cosmetic treatment.
The dentist uses bonding to secure veneers to your teeth. So you will undergo a similar procedure to prepare the surface of the teeth. Then your dentist takes impressions of your smile to build the custom veneers. This can take some time, but your dentist will factor in your aesthetic goals as well as the existing dental structure to ensure gorgeous and natural-looking results.
You return to your dentist’s office to receive the veneers which adhere with bonding material that can keep the shells in place for fifteen years or more. Veneers resist staining, so you can feel confident in this beautiful finish.
Veneers take longer to accomplish and cost more than dental bonding, but the results last and endure for longer as well. Make sure you take care of your smile and veneers for the best results though. Consult with your dentist to learn which cosmetic solution will work best for you.