Dentures vs. veneers: If you find that you need a cosmetic dental procedure, you’ll need to know which is the right choice for you. Thankfully, the experts here at Stiles Dental Care are here to break things down for you and help steer you in the right direction.
We’ll let you know the situations in which you should consider dentures or veneers, what sets them apart, their benefits, and help you decide your best option. Let’s start with dentures.
What Are Dentures?
Traditionally, dentures are defined as a removable set of replacement teeth. However, there are now three options for dentures: partial, full, and permanent.
Partial dentures are the best option for those who are only missing a few teeth. Rather than pull the remaining teeth and replace them all, the dentist will create a prosthetic with the replacement teeth. You will easily insert and remove this retainer, but it can be messy and will require some maintenance.
Full dentures are the traditional removable dentures that replace your entire set of teeth. In order for full dentures to work, the dentist must pull all of your remaining teeth.
Lastly, permanent dentures are replacement teeth that are screwed directly into your jaw bone. These are also sometimes referred to as dental implants.
What Are Veneers?
Veneers are thin, typically porcelain shells that are customized to be shaped to match your teeth. Instead of replacing your teeth, they go over your current teeth to give you the smile you’ve always dreamed of. They can change a person’s smile and give you more confidence than ever before.
Porcelain veneers are the more popular option because they’re higher quality and longer lasting than resin.
Dentures vs. Veneers: The Procedure
The procedure for dentures will vary depending on the type you choose.
First, your dentist may need to remove any remaining teeth. Once this is done, the dentist will create molds of your mouth that will be used to make your custom dentures. This entire process may take several visits and months.
The permanent denture process is just as time-consuming, taking three-to-six months to complete. This is because the dentist has to screw each individual implant into the jaw bone.
Meanwhile, the process for getting porcelain veneers is much less time consuming, with the entire process taking less than a month.
To get veneers, you first come in for a consultation where you will be walked through the process of how to achieve the smile of your dreams. At Stiles Dental, we use our innovative Smile-Vision technology to take a picture of your existing smile and show you what it will look like when the procedure is done.
We will also create a treatment plan and start preparing your teeth for veneers after we reach an agreement. To get your teeth ready, we must remove small amounts of enamel from your teeth which will make room for the veneer’s thin shell. We will then take impressions of your prepared teeth and finalize the shade of white. These impressions are sent to a dental laboratory which will make your custom veneers.
You will be fitted with temporary veneers while you await the arrival of your permanent veneers. Once they arrive, you will come back in and we will ensure they fit perfectly. This means they will not affect your speech or chewing ability in any way. Once you are happy with how they look, we bond the veneers to your teeth.
As you can see, getting veneers is a much more comfortable and far less time-consuming procedure than receiving dentures, especially if you need to have teeth pulled or opt for permanent dentures, which must be screwed into your jaw bone.
The Benefits & Downfalls
While veneers rein supreme when it comes to the procedure, dentures actually have a longer lifespan than most veneers. Dentures can easily last over 20 years, while this is a stretch for most veneers. Dentures are also much less likely to chip than veneers.
Dentures are also a better option for those who are already missing teeth, as veneers must be attached to existing teeth. Veneers therefore aren’t an option to those who are missing teeth.
Dentures and veneers both look quite natural — people likely won’t know you are wearing either unless you tell them. However, dentures can be quite painful, especially during the installation process. You will also need to deal with adhesives if you choose non-permanent dentures.
Veneers are a better option if you are just looking to fix stains or imperfections in your smile. You won’t have to have any teeth pulled for veneers as they will be applied to your existing teeth.
The Verdict
It depends on your individual circumstances whether you should choose dental implants, dentures, or porcelain veneers. If you’re missing teeth, dentures are definitely the way to go. If you have all of your teeth but are just looking to improve your smile, veneers are likely the better option.
The best thing you can do is to come into Stiles Dental Care for a consultation. You can schedule an appointment online or give us a call today and we’ll have you in as soon as we can! We look forward to seeing you!
