If you look at dental crowns and veneers side by side, they seem very similar. Both can be made from the same materials, including porcelain or composite resin, and both are used to cover the surface of your teeth. However, they serve different roles in dentistry.

Crowns

A dental crown is a cap which covers the entire tooth above the gum line. To place it, your dentist will have to slightly shave down the surface of your tooth enamel. Crowns have a variety of uses, most of which are not cosmetic. They can be used to support a dental bridge, to strengthen a tooth which is badly decayed, or to hold together the pieces of a tooth which has cracked vertically. Dental crowns are also used to protect the interior of a tooth which has undergone a root canal treatment. In all of these cases, your dentist's primary concern is the health of your bite.

Veneers

Where crowns are functional, veneers are almost exclusively cosmetic. They are shaped to cover only the visible portion of your teeth, and are generally only applied to the front teeth. Like crowns, veneers usually require your enamel to be trimmed down to accommodate them; however, some modern variations are much thinner and can be applied over the unaltered surface of your tooth. Since their purpose is cosmetic, veneers are only made with tooth-colored materials such as porcelain and resin. Your dentist will recommend veneers to visually straighten slightly crooked teeth, close gaps between teeth, or alter their shape or color.

While crowns and veneers have grown from similar concepts, they are used very differently in dentistry. If you aren't sure which you need, consult with your dentist today to make a decision.

Premier Dental is a general and cosmetic dentistry practice in London, KY. Here, Dr. Terri Brown provides a full range of treatments from simple exams to aesthetic and restorative procedures including dental crowns. To schedule an evaluation, call (606) 877-3002 or request an appointment online.