Full Mouth Restoration

hi everyone my name is whitney and i am a dental hygienist if you're new here welcome if you've been here before welcome back let's talk about the differences between dental veneers and dental crowns before we jump in if you ever have a question about a specific dental topic go to google type in your question and put teeth talk at the end and then you'll see an article or a video of me explaining the answer so crowns and veneers are two different things they are not the same although when you're smiling you won't be able to tell the difference so why would you want one over the other let's talk about the underlying differences between the two crowns aka tooth caps cover your entire tooth a crown and a cap are the same thing while veneers which are not crowns nor caps they only cover part of your tooth so deciding between crowns versus veneers on your front teeth for example will be a different decision and treatment plan for everyone one option is not a better option than the other unless your dentist feels otherwise about your individual situation let me explain further the biggest factor when deciding if you need crowns or you want veneers will depend on whether or not your tooth is healthy that's why i said if your dentist feels otherwise right if you're going in with only cosmetic purposes in mind great but your teeth still need to be checked beforehand to confirm you can do cosmetic purposes only meaning you don't have any signs of cavities or tooth decay crowns are meant to repair broken teeth decayed teeth etc while also complimenting their appearance so it's two in one with a crown so your tooth is still under there with a protective shell covering the entire surface all the way up to the gum line completely sealing it underneath so crowns are not only crafted to look like your natural teeth but they are also necessary for health-related purposes i do have a procedural video where i filmed a crown being placed with me voicing over explaining the steps if you're interested i'll link that video in the bottom bar below so again with crowns your tooth is typically reduced down to a smaller size before a crown or cap will fit over it there are several different options out there for a dental crown design most crowns on your front teeth will probably be full porcelain or zirconia a highly durable ceramic or they may even be carved from a solid block of ceramic if it's a same day design porcelain fused to metal or gold crowns are nowadays typically restricted to the back teeth so unless requested your dentist will usually not even offer those for front teeth so if you get a porcelain no metal crown only your dentist and dental hygienist will be able to tell if it's a crown versus a veneer because like i said from the outside they both look the same now a little more about veneers now veneers are completely elective and are often only for cosmetic purposes they only cover the front side of your teeth and slightly over the edges when you smile you see this perfect looking tooth but your natural tooth is totally behind it some people compare veneers to an artificial fingernail because of how it goes over the real thing but it changes the way everything looks a thin layer of your tooth is buffed away before the veneer is installed and the thing about veneers there are three different types there are porcelain veneers composite veneers and no prep veneers porcelain offers the best durability and aesthetic results making them the standard for most smile makeovers porcelain veneers are similar to dental crowns in the way they're designed since the material is hand crafted at a lab or designed with cad cam technology at your dental office composite or chair side veneers are similar to cosmetic bonding or a white tooth colored filling so with these the material is immediately shaped onto your tooth by your dentist chair side just like in the name it is then cured into place with a blue curing light a lesser known alternative to the porcelain and composite veneers is the no prep design they are lab made veneers that are crafted from a laminate material and bond directly on top of your unaltered tooth enamel so there is no drilling and they are completely reversible so if you want to remove them later on you can but there's lots of downsides to these such as not everyone qualifies for them not all dentists do them they often do not hide all discoloration or dark enamel stains because they are so thin and lastly they will not work if you have any misalignment concerns so in the long term traditional veneers whether they are porcelain or composite chair side those ones are often the more cost effective options the no prep is very specific and rare but still wanted to mention it as an option having said all of that let's talk about the advantages and disadvantages of all types of veneers as a whole versus all types of crowns as a whole advantages of veneers they address your entire smile zone at one time they make your smile look beautiful they do they can replace the need for whitening or braces in some cases and they are tailored to your individual preference disadvantages they can be super expensive they are usually non-reversible and need to be replaced throughout your life you need several of them at a time you generally can't just do one veneer usually they are not covered by insurance and lastly the budget veneers like the no prep often don't look as good as the porcelain however some dentists do a very good job with the composite veneers so another reason to really discuss your options with your dentist ask them for before and after photos to see their work that's a totally valid request advantages of crowns they are usually covered by your dental insurance they can be placed on just one or two teeth instead of several they fix teeth with cracks and cavities they enhance your tooth's appearance while also protecting the weak structure disadvantages of crowns they are more invasive to your tooth than a dental veneer they are typically only placed on one tooth at a time but not always if your dentist makes them an office that's amazing you can often get them all in one day they are generally used on an as needed basis again there's always exceptions and lastly they could have a visible metal base if they're porcelain fused to metal depending on the material used so always ask if they plan to do full ceramic non-metal crowns for your front teeth especially unless again you want a metal crown you do you so which one lasts longer veneers or crowns so some literature says it's about the same but i personally feel from what i've seen is that crowns can really stand the test of time if they are made of a durable material and you're not grinding your teeth and you're keeping them clean so generally speaking whether you have veneers or crowns to prolong the life of them you should wear a nightguard if you're a grinder and take care of your mouth properly floss around them every day brush properly doing these things can easily add years of life to them so this question which one will last longer is definitely absolutely a question to ask your dentist because it truly depends on a case-by-case situation which material they use etc and lastly which one is more expensive there are several different variables yet again always that will impact the total out-of-pocket cost for you but for a dental crown the average price with insurance is 600 to 950 per tooth and the average price with no insurance is 800 to 1500 per tooth please remember these are averages they can be way less expensive or way more expensive depending on the area where you live and the location of your dental office and for a dental veneer the average price with insurance none it's typically not covered so the average price with no insurance they're usually about 925 dollars to 2500 per tooth in all if you're still debating whether or not you need a crown versus wanting a veneer on your front teeth specifically my best advice is to schedule an appointment at your dentist's office and ask questions about what your dentist is planning to do with your teeth because like i said there are so many different options so many different materials different costs etc depending on the dental office and if you already did that you talked with your dentist and you're still confused you can always get a second opinion at another office i hope this video helped you please like and subscribe and turn on your notifications if it did find me on instagram at teethtalkgirl and until next time peace love auntie you