Are Dental Veneers or Dental Crowns better?

Patients that are considering a smile makeover might be asking themselves, “what is better to have, crowns or veneers?”. In this blog we will look at the difference between the two treatments and the candidacy for each. By reviewing the candidacy of these treatments, some readers will be informed about the availability of options. While other readers can decide based on a few parameters what is the healthiest choice for them. Let’s quickly break down what is a dental crown and a veneer. Both are an aesthetic restoration of the same material to immediately replace tooth decay, correct small orthodontic issues and protect the tooth from further damage. The difference is that the dental crown covers the whole, exposed anterior and posterior teeth on all sides, whereas the veneer only covers the front and sides of anterior (front) teeth. Both can be used in a smile makeover but only crowns can be placed to posterior (back) teeth.

Orthodontic treatment should always be considered as the first treatment, then veneers, then crowns. The goal is to correct bite and tooth position issues while maintaining the integrity and longevity of teeth. The trade-off with orthodontic treatment vs. dental crown/veneer treatment, is time. Orthodontic treatment can take between 6 months and 3 years and so patients are looking for a quick solution. There are many reasons to seek a quick solution, such as: being a public speaker, personal or business image and commitment & maintenance of orthodontic treatment. Dental crowns and dental veneers can be completed within a week in Turkey.

Now we have addressed what is a dental crown/veneer and why this treatment is preferred by patients. Let’s explore the candidacy of crown/veneer treatment. There are a few reasons why your aesthetic dentist will determine whether the reader is suitable for crowns or veneers. Factors of the patients include: Age, medications, tooth position, bite issues, tooth condition, missing teeth and if the patient has bad oral habits.

As was mentioned above, the goal is to preserve integrity and longevity. So the doctor will consider how many times the patient is likely to replace their restorations based on their age. A young person is likely to replace their restorations 3-4 times in their lifetime. An older patient who might be in their 50’s are more likely to replace their restorations 1 or 2 times. Veneers require less tooth preparation than crowns and so they would be recommended to younger people. Crowns are more likely to be recommended to older patients because they’re more likely to present with bruxism and tooth decay. So it then becomes about saving what’s left of teeth in some older patients.

Patients that had taken tetracycline or chemotherapy have compromised tooth integrity and longevity. Tetracycline is an oral antibiotic created in the 1950’s used to treat an array of infections but caused serious side effects varying from hepatitis to bone development during pregnancy and in children. Tetracycline disrupts the protein synthesis in bacteria but also affects the human mitochondria protein synthesis also. Orally, this drug affected the development of teeth and caused permanent discolouration of teeth in children.

Chemotherapy and radiation therapy can affect the mouth’s lining, nerve damage and salivary glands. These glands produce saliva vital to breaking down foods, but also bacteria. A lack in saliva can translate to higher amounts of oral bacteria leading to infections, mouth sores, and teeth decay. If the reader has finished chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy it’s best to get a panoramic x-ray of your oral condition. They can then send it to our dental team and inform them of their medical history. Our team will set up an online consultation with the Head Physician to discuss your options.

So in every case, crowns would be recommended to these patients instead of veneers. But patients must be forth-coming and truthful of their medical history so our Dentists can best assist you.

It’s impossible to change the position of teeth without orthodontic treatment or extraction. So the position of teeth can impact the candidacy of veneer and crown treatment. In the case a tooth needs to be extracted due to the extreme positional alignment of the tooth, then a crowned bridge will be recommended. In the case the position misalignment is minor, it could be possible to correct with veneers but this would be case specific and cannot be guaranteed. Dental crowns are a much more reliable treatment for teeth malposition.

Patients seeking dental veneer/crown treatment can present with differing bite issues. These bite issues can be resolved or decreased in severity with dental crown/veneer treatment. The main objective is to resolve the issues if possible. So what bite issues can be resolved with veneers?

Well if the bite issues will cause clashing on the surface or top of the restoration, then veneers are more susceptible to chipping and breaking. Crowns are more resilient to these issues so they will be recommended instead.

There are class 1, class 2, class 3 bite, deep bite and crossbite. Class 1 bite is the natural and healthy bite position which has the lower jaw sit behind the upper jaw. Class 2 has the upper jaw sit in front of the lower jaw, with a protruding upper jaw and receded lower jaw. Class 3 bite is the opposite of class 2 where the lower jaw protrudes in front of the upper jaw and the upper jaw is receded. A deep bite or overbite is the condition where the upper front jaw excessively overlaps the lower front jaw. Bruxism and the angle or alignment of the teeth can impact this bite issue. Finally, a cross bite is when a singular or group of teeth from the upper jaw fit inside of the lower jaw while the rest sit naturally. Genetics play a large part in the development of these bite issues as well as childhood development issues and thumbsucking.

Of course, it would be better if readers sought orthodontic treatment first if they can relate to these bite issues. Dental veneers may make improvements to these bite issues whereas dental crowns could correct mild bite issues. Only Class 1, class 3 and deep bite patients are eligible for dental veneer treatment. If the readers have these bite issues, they can contact our dental team for an online consultation to individually assess the bite issue(s) and recommend a restorative treatment plan that will fix their bite issues.

Bruxism places our teeth under powerful pressures over extended periods of time which can weaken and break natural teeth and dental restorations if it’s not addressed

The oral health condition of patients plays a role in dental veneer candidacy. For example it is impossible to place a veneer where there is a missing tooth or connect a dental bridge using dental veneer. For this reason, a dental implant or dental bridge using crowns is the recommended treatment. If there are small chips, breaks, caries and misalignment issues; then dental veneers would be the recommended treatment plan. If the patient presents with multiple caries, lots of previous restorations or bruxism, (the stress-related condition of grinding our teeth); then dental crowns would be the recommended treatment plan. Bruxism places our teeth under powerful pressures over extended periods of time which can weaken and break natural teeth and dental restorations if it’s not addressed. Dentares can subdue this habit by applying botox to the masseter jaw muscle, responsible for the bruxism. The procedure is relatively painless and very quick. It is an immediate solution for patients facing the consequences of bruxism. However, this doesn’t relieve the stress that originally caused the condition. Patients should address their stress with professional psychological assistance or find a healthy alternative to relieve stress.

There are other bad habits that readers should avoid whether or not they have dental restorations. Chewing our fingernails or chewing on sunflower seeds places lots of repeated stress on the front teeth. These habits can contribute to chippins and breaks to dental restorations. It is advised to immediately quit these habits to protect our natural teeth and dental restorations for the longevity of our smiles.

In summary, there are firstly a few factors to consider before deciding the candidacy of dental veneer and dental crown treatment, such as: age, medications, tooth position, bite issues, tooth condition, missing teeth and if the patient has bad oral habits. To answer the original question, “Are dental veneers or dental crowns better?” We needed to explore whether the reader was suitable for these treatments firstly, and if orthodontic intervention should be considered. With so many variables and depending on the severity of oral conditions, the only conclusion that can be made about this question is that dental veneers are considered for low to mild oral health conditions. Whereas dental crown treatment should be considered for readers with mild to severe oral health conditions. If you are trying to determine which treatment is right for you, talk to our dental team available 24/7 to organise an online consultation with a Dentares Physician.