Our teeth are one of the most robust bones of our body as they help us to chew and grind our food. However, they can decay, break, chip off, or face other forms of damage, whether it’s due to our lack of care or an accident. Teeth also don’t grow the same for everyone. Some may be crooked, while others may have unusual shapes and discoloration.

Dental veneers and composite bonding can solve many surface-level problems for your teeth. They are two different procedures with different functionalities, which an expert cosmetic dentist can successfully do.

Veneers vs. composite bonding, which one should you get? This article will help you figure out which one is the right solution for your concerns.

What Are Dental Veneers?

Dental veneers are thin yet strong shells or custom-made strips to perfectly fit your teeth and mouth. They’re often made from porcelain or composite closer to your natural tooth color and are placed on your teeth to give them a uniform appearance and match the surrounding teeth.

A technician who is an expert in building custom-fit dental veneers will make them for you to conceal imperfections. They’ll act as a camouflage for many of your dental flaws that happen on the surface and give you a perfect smile.

You can decide whether to choose veneers or composite bonding to correct your dental imperfections after a thorough consultation with your dentist. Besides, you can select veneers from four options: porcelain, composite, no-prep, and pop-on.

However, you should know that veneers won’t solve your root-level dental problems. If you have issues with your dental structure, you’ll need something more concrete.

What is Composite Bonding?

Have you ever gotten cavities filled on your molar teeth? Your dentist had used a resin back then to fill in the gaps and cure them in place. Using those fillers has come a long way since, and experts have tweaked them to be used to structure the teeth in front as well.

This is known as composite bonding or dental bonding. The surface of your tooth is prepared, and a layer of resin is applied on top of it. After the resin layer hardens, the dentist polishes and shapes it to give you the desired look.

Composite bonding requires little time and can be completed in one visit. However, just like dental veneers, this is just a temporary surface-level solution to improve the look of your teeth. A dentist will investigate your overall oral health to suggest the best treatment for your dental concerns.

How Are Veneers Done?

To get the best results, you should get it done by a dentist specializing in cosmetic dentistry. The dentist will primarily take x-rays and perform other tests to check your oral health. Then they’ll make molds of your teeth, write down the measurements of your targeted teeth, note down the look you want with the veneers, and send them to the lab expert.

The technician will prepare the materials based on whether you want sparkling white veneers or veneers closer to your natural teeth. They will take the measurements of your teeth from the molds and prepare porcelain or resin-composite veneers with the dimensions that are required for your dental concerns.

You can get just one veneer for one tooth or a few veneers in a row for a more uniform look. The most common placement of dental veneers is covering the teeth on the entire front portion of the upper jaw.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Veneers?

Dental veneers, whether you’re getting porcelain or composite, have their advantages and drawbacks. They are cosmetic procedures that you can get to camouflage your dental flaws like cracks, chips, and discolorations. An experienced cosmetic dentist can give you a flawless smile with properly made dental veneers.

Benefits

Getting dental veneers is generally a painless procedure. You can get it for a broken or chipped tooth, to cover gaps between your teeth, to get properly-sized teeth if they’re smaller or shaped unusually, and to even out the color of your teeth if they are severely discolored.

Dental veneers are permanently sealed to your natural teeth using dental cement, which means they will last you for years. With proper care, you’ll have to replace it after 10-25 years based on the material used. You can also eat anything with veneers as long as they aren’t too hard on the teeth. This makes getting veneers cost-effective.

You can get pop-on veneers if you don’t have any severe imperfection that needs cementing veneers. They’re great alternatives to straighten the teeth for those who don’t want braces. They’ll be made to fit perfectly, and you can pop them on and off whenever necessary. These veneers will train your teeth to reach a uniform shape like braces.

Drawbacks

Getting dental veneers is a time-consuming process. You need a few sessions to get your veneers, as your dentist needs to carry out some preliminary tests and x-rays to check your dental health.

Getting the veneers from the lab takes several days, after which your dentist will check the fit with your teeth. It may need modifications which will also be a time-consuming process.

Although generally less invasive, your dentist must file off some of your teeth to ensure that the veneers fit perfectly. And if you have a lot of damage on the surface, your teeth will be shaved down to the enamel, which is a painful process that requires local anesthesia.

Veneers are expensive, although they can be worthwhile since they should last you for years. However, not everyone can get veneers. If you have gum infections, tooth decay, or require tooth canals, then veneers won’t be the solution.

How is Composite Bonding Done?

Composite bonding is an easy and quick solution to some dental issues, and it’ll only need an appointment with your cosmetic dentist. The dentist will clean your teeth to bring out the natural shade. After that, they’ll use a shade guide to determine the closest shade match to your teeth.

The dentist will then prepare your tooth, or teeth if you want the treatment on a few of them, by roughening up the surface and using a conditioning liquid to help the bonding material stick well. Then, they will apply the composite resin on the treated surface and shape it to your desired shape.

The resin layer is then cured to the natural teeth using a UV light or a special curing light, bonding the material to the enamel. The dentist will finally polish your teeth and make the necessary adjustments to make them shine like your natural teeth.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Composite Bonding?

Composite bonding, just like any cosmetic dental procedure, has its set of advantages and disadvantages as well. You need to consult a cosmetic dentist to carry out the operations flawlessly. This will ensure your teeth look perfect, as this process needs layering the resin in perfect shape.

Benefits

Getting composite bonding for minor dental flaws like chippings and uneven structure is much more affordable than any other dental procedure. Although a cosmetic procedure, dental bonding is almost non-invasive and isn’t painful at all. Your teeth only need roughening up a little to ensure the resin properly adheres to them.

Because it doesn’t involve lab technicians, you won’t need multiple sessions for it, making it very time-effective. You can get it done in one session with your dentist, where each tooth will take thirty to sixty minutes, depending on the amount of bonding needed.

You can replace old composite bonding without much hassle. In most cases, dental bonding doesn’t require anesthesia. You may initially feel mild discomfort, which you can treat with over-the-counter medications. You will definitely need to take care of your oral hygiene to ensure your teeth stay healthy.

Drawbacks

One of the major drawbacks of composite bonding is that it isn’t a long-lasting solution. It can chip off easily if you’re not cautious with what you eat and how you care for it.

Besides, you can only get it for cosmetic imperfections like cracks, chipped teeth, gaps, and discolored teeth. You can’t get composite bonding to cure dental decay and gum diseases; those will need much more invasive procedures and deeper treatments.

Which One Should You Get?

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Dental veneers and composite bonding can be used for surface issues like chipped teeth, discolorations, cracks, and gaps. So which one should you choose? And why?

If you want a quick and affordable solution to correct the look of your teeth, composite bonding is the way to go. It’ll also look more natural and closer to your teeth.

However, with composite bonding that only has a resin layer bonded to the teeth, there’s always a risk of it chipping off easily. You must maintain your oral hygiene to ensure it lasts long enough.

Veneers are expensive and will require quite some time and a few sessions with your dentist. However, they provide a long-lasting solution, making that expense and time spent totally worthwhile. You can use them for training your teeth to an even shape instead of braces.

Whichever you choose, keep in mind that they’ll solve only your surface-level dental issues. Anything that involves decay or the roots will need other methods for the cure.

Final Thoughts

Before you decide on any procedure, you must consult your dentist to decide what to pick in the veneers vs. composite bonding. Based on your wants, needs, and oral health, your dentist will suggest the best pick that will be cost-effective and worthwhile for your time.

Be open and clear about your dental concerns, and don’t be shy or insecure about showing your teeth to your dentist. That way, you’ll get the most suitable treatment and smile brighter than ever!