Have you ever held your hand over your smile in a picture? Is there a front tooth you’ve been hiding because it’s chipped, cracked, or broken? Did that cup of morning coffee stain your teeth and you wish they were just a little whiter? If you’ve been told that you may be a candidate for veneers, you’re likely to begin your online search. However, you’ve encountered a barrier: composite and porcelain.
Now you’ve got more questions than answers, eh? Which one seems more natural? Which one is going to last? Why is this one so much more expensive? And the really big question: Are they going to shave down my real teeth?
Those questions are perfectly reasonable. Veneers are a big financial (and potentially physical) investment. This guide is designed to make things as easy as possible. We’ll explore what they are, what they’re made of, what they look like, how long they last, how much they cost, and which generally suit which situations. You won’t walk away from this post a dentist, but you’ll certainly walk away with the confidence to ask the questions you need to when you’re sat in that chair.
First, What Are Veneers?
Veneers are thin shells that sit on the front of a tooth, perhaps altering its color, shape, size, or length. It is as if we are applying a new smile to the surface of your existing teeth while leaving the rest of the tooth intact below.
The most common cosmetic problems addressed by veneers are persistent discolouration of teeth, chips, gaps, worn edges or slightly irregularly shaped teeth. It is important to note that veneers are not a solution for significant malocclusion or severely damaged teeth, which require more complex treatment first.
The Different Classes
So what’s the difference between the two types of veneer? The Composite veneers involve the application of a tooth-colored resin, similar to that used for white fillings. Your dentist will usually etch the surface of your tooth, and then the composite resin will be applied and shaped with a hand-held instrument before curing with a special light.
However, the opposite is true for porcelain. Porcelain veneers are ultra-thin shells of dental ceramic. They are fabricated in a lab using molds or digital scans of your teeth and then bonded to your existing teeth with durable dental cement.
Same target. Very distinct methods. Let’s explore further what this could mean for you.
Appearance: Will They Be Realistically Natural-Looking?
There’s a tangible benefit to porcelain. It mimics the way it reflects and transmits light in a manner similar to real tooth enamel. When a dentist and lab are experienced and dedicated, they can match the slight variations in natural teeth to give you a luminescent, natural looking smile.
It can also look nice, if it is done by an skilled dentist. It is less translucent though and may lose its glow on its own, over time. It can be polished at your scheduled cleanings so it does not become dull.
Visualize this: Nina, a 38-year-old wedding photographer, works all the time. That’s what she does. That’s why she goes for porcelain-it looks and feels exactly like her teeth when she smiles. A few months later, a friend asks her if she has just had her teeth bleached! And she smiles!
Durability: How Long Do They Last?
Longevity. Now for the contentious topic. With composite veneers, longevity is about five to seven years, but they can last longer if you get a lot of TLC. For Porcelain veneers, longevity is generally 10-15 years but can be much longer still.
Your habits can make a difference. If you find yourself grinding your teeth at night, biting your nails, chewing on ice or using your teeth to pry open packaging, you could be reducing the life of either type. Your dentist may recommend a night guard if you have a grinding habit.
Staining: Will They Retain Their Color?
Porcelain takes the prize for staining. With porcelain, coffee, tea, red wine and curry are not going to stain. Big benefit if you like your morning latte.
Composite is more porous in nature and can stain over time (think of it as a white mug turning beige on the inside). Like ageing, smoking may make it worse. While polishing can do a lot to help and is desirable for any new restoration, some discolouration over time is normal.
And final point: neither material will bleach the same as real teeth. If you are thinking of whitening your teeth, it’s much better to do it beforehand, so you can select the right colour with your dentist.
Repairs: What Do You Do When A Chip Occurs?
That’s where composite really excels. If a composite veneer chips, your dentist can usually repair it in a single visit. It’s a matter of adding a small amount of resin, then contouring and polishing it – quick, easy and typically inexpensive.
Porcelain is more durable, however repairs tend to be more complex. When it cracks, it’s typically necessary to replace it in full with another shell by the laboratory, and another bill.
Imagine This: Jake is a 24-year-old weekend warrior on the court. He opts for composite veneers to close the space between his front teeth. His Saturday afternoon out on the court lands him a double dose of elbows, one of which chips his tooth. By Monday, his doctor finishes shaping the defective edge with new resin. Over in an hour, no fuss, no new lab slip.
Treatment Time: How Long Does It Take?
On the same note, composite veneers usually only require one visit. Yes, that might mean a few hours in the dentist’s chair if you want multiple teeth done, but there’s no need to make another visit to complete the work.
Porcelain is a little more involved. Expect to visit us twice, or maybe three times. The first time may be to come up with a plan, get your teeth ready, and take scans or impressions. The second will be to try in the temporary veneers, which you’ll wear for a week or two until the permanent ones are ready.
Tooth Preparation. Will My Original Teeth Be Modified?
Many ask this, and they should, as this is very important to know. If you get porcelain veneers, your dentist will generally grind away a very thin layer of enamel from the front of each tooth. It can be less than 1 millimeter, but it’s enough that it’s a permanent alteration. Once the enamel is shaved off, it never grows back, and you’ll need a cover of some kind on those teeth.
The other side is composite veneers which don’t require much or any removal of tooth enamel. The resin may be applied directly on the tooth surface in most circumstances. Therefore, composite is a more reversible, and less invasive option.
Priya, 29, has small spaces and a bit of a shortness to her front teeth. She’s interested in porcelain, but she’s apprehensive about changing her smile at this young age. Her dentist recommends composite as a “test drive” for a few years. If she’s still interested in porcelain, she can have that later.
Finally, there are a small number of dentists that will do “minimal-prep” or “no-prep” porcelain veneers. They’re not suitable for everyone – but be sure to ask!