Composite versus Porcelain Veneers

Veneers at Capital Dental Design are a great way to restore chipped or fractured teeth or to correct crooked teeth or gaps in the teeth. Veneers can be fabricated using composite material or porcelain. It is important to note that any type of veneer is considered cosmetic by most insurance companies and is unlikely to be covered so the cost of treatment will strictly be out-of-pocket. Here, we will review the difference and the advantages of each.

Composite Veneers

Composite veneers are the less costly of the two types of veneers, ranging from $250 to $1,500 per tooth. There are a couple of advantages to composite veneers aside from cost, time, and invasiveness.

Your dentist can apply your composite veneers in one visit. The same material that is used for a filling is applied directly to the front surface of your teeth and formed to give you a new smile. Once your dentist has the material on your tooth and shaped to perfection, it is cured with an ultraviolet light that hardens the material. your dentist will then refine the shape and polish the composite to a shiny, natural-looking finish.

Composite veneers are also non-invasive and can be removed without any damage to the natural tooth structure.

Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers cost between $500 and $2500. Even though they cost significantly more, the advantages of porcelain veneers greatly outweigh those of composite veneers, including durability and aesthetics.

Porcelain veneers do take more than one visit to your dentist to complete but porcelain is much stronger than composite and can last up to 20 years whereas composite will need to be replaced possibly every five years. Porcelain veneers are usually made by a dental lab so you will have at least two visits to your dental office before you have your new smile. Porcelain is more resistant to chips than composite and does not stain.

While composite veneers can be natural-looking, they do not compare to porcelain. The lab that fabricates your porcelain veneers is able to match the translucency of your natural teeth. Our teeth get thinner and more translucent at the edge and that coloring just cannot be matched with composite.

The only real drawback to porcelain veneers is that they are a little invasive and are permanent. In order to allow room for the Veneer to fit over your tooth, your dentist will need to remove a bit of tooth structure. While it is not as much as it used to be, it is still enough that you will always have to have a veneer on that tooth for the rest of your life.

Which type of veneer is right for you?

Your dentist will be able to help you determine which type is best for your individual case. Not everyone would be best suited to composite veneers, depending on lifestyle and oral care habits. Even though composite veneers are more cost-effective at first, they often require repairs and replacing. Either option you choose will give you a beautiful new smile that you are proud to show off!

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