Porcelain crowns
Porcelain crowns can take a damaged smile and restore it to its original beauty, bringing back confidence and happiness in the patient's life. Crowns are needed when an event such as excessive decay, extreme enamel erosion, or excessive grinding has caused damage to the tooth. Porcelain crowns are amazing in that they can replace the entire exterior of the tooth, restore all original functions and strength, and are created to look beautiful as well. Unlike porcelain veneers, porcelain crowns are thicker and are not designed for strictly cosmetic reasons. They are not only functional, but also esthetically pleasing. Porcelain crowns at Dynamic Dentistry of the Shoals are designed to beautifully match the original teeth, or look even better. Porcelain crowns are extremely durable and quite simple to maintain. They only require the same brushing and flossing that normal teeth require.
What are porcelain veneers?
Porcelain veneers are a really thin layer of porcelain that is laid over the front of the teeth. The veneer is different from a crown, in that the crown covers the entire tooth, whereas a veneer only covers the visible part of the tooth. Also, veneers aren't as strong as a full porcelain crown and do not provide protection against gum disease or tooth decay. A porcelain veneer fills in gaps, covers chips and/or cracks, and changes the appearance of the shape and color of the teeth while looking completely natural.
Who should get porcelain veneers?
Good candidates for veneers are patients who have strong teeth and a perfect bite (where lower teeth do not interfere with the top teeth), but do not like the color, shape or the position of their teeth.
Who shouldn't get porcelain veneers?
We do not recommend porcelain veneers to our patients who have severe tooth decay, broken teeth, too many teeth too close together, severely stained teeth, or people who grind or clench their teeth.
What can I expect from my first visit?
During your first visit to our office, we will discuss your options with you. We will talk about what your needs and wants are, and determine if you are a candidate for veneers. If you are a good candidate for veneers, we will prepare the teeth by grinding down specific areas of the teeth to make the fitting & shaping of the veneers easier. Once the preparing is completed, we will fit you with temporary veneers. Three to four weeks later, we will make sure your permanent veneers fit perfectly, and then bond them to your teeth.
Are there any alternatives?
If your teeth aren't as white as you'd like, teeth whitening is a good option. If your teeth are white, but not as straight as you'd like, a short-term ortho program like Invisalign© might be a better option.