Veneers Vs. Dental Implants
Your teeth are an important feature of your mouth. Not only are they essential for biting and chewing, but they are also crucial for a beautiful, confident smile. While your teeth are incredibly strong, they can be faced with damage and decay ranging from mild to severe. No matter what the severity of the damage, treatment is needed right away. Minor damage often only requires a small procedure to restore the appearance of your smile while more significant damage may require the need for a tooth extraction and tooth replacement to restore your oral health and your smile. At Century Dental, we can help to determine the extent of the damage and the best treatment to meet your needs.
Veneers are a cosmetic treatment used to correct the appearance of teeth affected by minor flaws. They are thin, shell-like structures made from either composite resin or porcelain that are made to be bonded to the front surfaces of your teeth. Veneers effectively cover over flawed teeth, restoring, or even transforming, your smile. Veneers can be used to treat such issues as:
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Small chips or cracks in the enamel.
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Gaps between the teeth.
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Slight overlapping.
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Teeth that are smaller than others or that are misshapen.
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Discoloration. |
How are Veneers Placed?
Placing veneers requires two appointments. During the first appointment, a small portion of tooth enamel is removed from the front surfaces of the affected teeth. This is necessary to ensure that your veneers, while incredibly thin, will fit properly and naturally in your mouth. After the enamel is removed, impressions are taken. These impressions allow technicians to design and create custom veneers, which are bonded into place during your second appointment.
Benefits of Veneers
Veneers provide numerous benefits, including:
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Natural appearance. Both composite resin and porcelain are tooth-colored materials, aiding in beautifully restoring the quality of your smile. Not only can veneers restore your smile, but they can also enhance it or even completely transform it.
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Biocompatibility. Both materials will not irritate your gums.
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Minimally invasive. We only remove a small portion of tooth enamel, which is done under a local anesthetic. |
Dental implants are a treatment used to replace missing teeth. They are a modern alternative to traditional bridges and dentures. With dental implants, titanium posts are surgically placed into your jawbone. As you heal, your bone gradually fuses to the posts, stabilizing them within your jaw. This process, called osseointegration, turns the posts into roots that are then used to provide stability for your new teeth. Implants can replace any number of missing teeth, from a single tooth to an entire arch.
The Dental Implant Procedure
Getting dental implants requires a fairly involved process. To begin, a surgical procedure is necessary. This procedure is done under local anesthetic and sedation. Surgery begins with small incisions in your gums, providing us with access to your jawbone. Small holes are drilled into the bone, and the implants are placed directly inside. After your gums are sutured closed, temporary teeth are placed. Once you have fully healed from implant surgery, impressions of your mouth are taken. Technicians use these impressions to design and create your customized replacement teeth, which we secure into place with small screws.
Benefits of Dental Implants
Dental implants provide several significant benefits.
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The crowns, which are made from ceramic, look, feel, and function exactly like your real teeth. No one will be able to tell the difference.
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Your teeth are held securely in place. There is no worrying about dental restorations coming loose or falling out.
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They are much more comfortable than traditional tooth replacement options.
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You can brush and floss your restorations just like your natural teeth.
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The posts restore stimulation to your jawbone, stopping and preventing bone loss in your jaw. This benefit makes dental implants a long-term, even permanent, the solution to tooth loss. |
If you have any questions about veneers or dental implants, we can help. Call Century Dental today at (971) 708-1608 for more information. |