DENTAL IMPLANTS VS VENEERS

1st April 2019

DENTAL IMPLANTS VS VENEERS

Dental implants and veneers both transform smiles, though one is more for aesthetic reasons than the other… They both fall into different categories of dentistry too, so really they’re very different treatments! You’d be forgiven for getting the two mixed up, so let’s dive into the worlds of implant and cosmetic dentistry to decipher what these treatments do and who they’re suitable for.

Dental implants: a brief summary

Dental implants are a permanent solution to single or multiple missing teeth. They involve placing a titanium root in the jawbone where the gap of your missing tooth is, and then attaching a natural-looking crown on top to form your replacement tooth. They are fitted with a minor surgery and are commonly made of materials like porcelain and ceramics to provide true-to-life colour and aesthetics to the replacement crown.

Veneers: a brief summary

Veneers are a popular cosmetic dentistry treatment that fit like a false nail over an existing tooth. They too are made of thin sheets of porcelain because of its natural colour-match to your existing teeth and its strength. These do not require a minor surgery, though some preparation of your teeth will be necessary. They use a dental adhesive to stick to the tooth surface and cover the whole tooth from top to bottom. They are used to improve the cosmetic appearance of your smile.

The main differences

• Who is suitable? Dental implants are only suitable for those with missing teeth, as they are replacement teeth that fill the gaps in your smile. Veneers, on the other hand, can only be fixed to existing teeth so they cannot replace those that are lost.
• Form vs. Function. Dental implants both look and feel like a natural tooth and they restore function to the mouth. They help with biting, eating, and chewing as well as improved cosmetic appearance. While veneers do not improve the teeth function, they do create a more cosmetically pleasing smile and can boost your confidence in your smile.
• What they treat. Dental implants replace missing teeth and they can come in many forms (i.e. an implant retained denture permanently fixes a denture to your jawbone to replace a whole row of teeth). Veneers, on the other hand, address a range of cosmetic concerns. If you have a chipped, broken, discoloured, or malformed tooth, for example, a veneer can help blend this tooth back into your smile.

How veneers are placed

Veneers are placed very differently to dental implants as they don’t require a minor surgery. First, impressions are taken of your teeth so that we may create your veneers to fit and shape to your natural tooth shape. Some minor preparation of your tooth is undergone by ‘roughing up’ the surface a little, which aids the work of the dental adhesive used to fix them in place. After this process has been done and your veneers are made in our laboratory, which usually takes 10-14 days, we can then place them on your teeth to create your new smile.

How dental implants are placed

Dental implants are slightly more invasive than veneers, but it is still only a minor surgery that only requires local anaesthetic. Each treatment journey varies between patients, as a lot of it can depend on how quickly you heal after the first placement. The root is placed first in the jawbone and gums and left to heal, which may take a few months. The second stage is often placing the crown, the part that actually looks and feels like a natural tooth. This brief walk-through of the dental implant treatment process is just a guide, as we take a personalised approach to all treatments and patient needs.
Whether you’re considering veneers or dental implants in Stoke on Trent, visit Abbey House Dental to transform your smile! Get in touch today on 01785 818037 to book your first appointment with one of our skilled dentists.