When you’re not confident in your smile, it can do real damage to your self-esteem. Feeling a need to hide your teeth shouldn’t keep you from smiling, laughing, and interacting freely with the people around you. Advancements in cosmetic dentistry can transform your smile more quickly than you ever imagined. Dental veneers and dental laminate treatments can both produce spectacular results in a relatively short time frame, but veneers vs. laminates: which one is right for you?
Choosing Between Dental Laminate and Dental Veneer Products
Exploring your cosmetic dentistry options through even the most cursory web search yields dozens of options. It’s not easy to know which is best for your needs through research alone.
Like the popular Lumineers® product, Dental veneers are thin porcelain shells that fit over your existing teeth. They’re custom shaped and colored to blend seamlessly with the rest of your teeth and can close gaps between them, cover chips, or even mask discoloration. In some cases, your natural teeth will need to be filed lightly to ensure proper fit and adhesion.
On the other hand, veneers are placed in a two-part process, with temporaries often necessary during the fabrication period between sessions. They’re stronger than composite tooth laminates, lasting an average of 10-15 years to the 5-7-year range offered by dental laminate applications. The process is longer, but the results can be more long-lasting. The range of correctable issues through veneers is a bit broader than that of teeth laminates.
Composite tooth laminate can be completed in a single visit. They are applied, sculpted, and cured in the dentist’s office instead of the off-site fabrication required for dental veneers. Preparatory work to the tooth’s surface is minimal, so composite laminated teeth are more easily reversible with less likelihood of causing damage to the natural tooth. Less invasive and often less expensive, dental laminates are an excellent option for some patients. The material can be removed and replaced with relative ease. However, the range of defects dental laminate applications can minimize is a bit narrower.
What are dental Laminates?
Dental laminate is a thin shell designed by custom-made tooth-colored material. These shells are bonded to the teeth’ front surface to improve their shape, size, color, and overall appearance.
Porcelain laminate is made of different porcelain layers replaced by natural teeth enamel and sticky coating. Porcelain laminate is relatively less invasive as compared to porcelain veneers. There’s no need for scraping the tooth. Only some limited preparation is needed for bonding tooth laminates without any damage to natural teeth.
Besides its beauty aspect, the correct laminate function is vital. The dentist or prosthodontist will use resins that are sensitive to lights until laminate teeth become strong by using special light after installation.
Laminates and Veneers: Cost
The cost of laminates and veneers in dentistry should not be the primary deciding factor. Although treatment cost matters, the quality of care should focus on getting the best oral care and not finances. Your dentist will provide you with useful advice as needed. When it comes to costs, dental veneers tend to be more expensive, though the cost can be offset by how long they last before maintenance is likely to be needed.
Veneers vs. Laminates: KEY DIFFERENCES
Below are a few differences between laminate and veneer in dentistry:
Pros and cons of Dental Veneers:
There are two types of dental veneers: composites and porcelain.
Composite veneers are a less popular choice as they are more prone to staining. However, this type of veneer requires less prep work on the natural teeth. On the other hand, porcelain veneers are typically costlier than composite veneers and require enamel removal for their installation. They cannot be repaired if chipped or damaged. However, they are much more durable and natural-looking. These veneers can last up to a decade or more.
Pros and cons of Dental Laminates:
Laminate veneers are also considered advanced porcelain veneers due to their similar function and benefits. However, placing teeth laminates requires no reshaping of the natural tooth. The enamel and structure of the tooth are not removed or altered. While ceramic laminates for teeth are as thin as a contact lens and a slimmer version of veneers, they can be slightly bulky on the teeth when placed without altering them. They are also somewhat more expensive than porcelain veneers.
Dental Laminate or Veneers: What’s Right for Me?
You can familiarize yourself with the processes and materials. Still, it’s not easy to decide on your own about “laminate or veneer?” and which will be the best fit for your unique needs. This is where an expert Pearl Shine dental care and Smile Makeover provider can make all the difference.
We’ll help you explore all your options for correcting your smile, from dental laminate products to more involved solutions. We keep your needs our first priority throughout the process. We understand there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for beautiful, healthy smiles. We work hard to help all of our patients make informed decisions about their care. Together, we can achieve the smile of your dreams. Call today to learn more about dental laminate and veneer processes and make an appointment for expert consultation.