Porcelain vs Composite Veneers: Which Is Right for You?

More than half of American adults are self-conscious about the way their teeth look.

Having cracked, stained, or missing teeth is a major indicator of poor oral health, but it also impacts your confidence. If you’re not happy with your smile, you’ll end up overly self-conscious in your social and professional life. Fortunately, there’s an available remedy in the form of veneers.

In today’s post, we’ll discuss the two main types of veneers. Comparing porcelain vs. composite veneers may seem trivial, but there are important differences in the process and cost. Keep reading and choose the right veneer options for your teeth.

When Getting Veneers Makes Sense

Who are the best candidates for veneers?

Anyone who deals with dental imperfections can get veneers to cover them up. Unlike dental crowns, veneers only partially cover your teeth, making the procedure easier and more affordable.

Unless you’ve got serious tooth damage, veneers are a sensible choice. Get them to cover chipped, cracked, stained, or misshapen teeth.

Porcelain vs. Composite Veneers

When you visit your dentist for veneers, you’ll choose between two options: porcelain and composite resin veneers. The former consists of custom-molded porcelain that fits perfectly over your teeth, while the latter is more affordable and less invasive.

Benefits of Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers are the right choice for someone who wants a more natural look. Although composite veneers look great, porcelain ones are unmatched in their ability to simulate the look of real teeth. They’re also stain-resistant and durable, lasting up to 15 years.

The only downside of porcelain veneers is that they’re expensive and more time-consuming to create. You’ll have to go in for multiple appointments to have a mold made of your teeth, then use temporary veneers for a couple of weeks while your porcelain ones are being made.

Benefits of Composite Resin Veneers

The biggest benefit of composite resin veneers is that they’re more affordable than porcelain ones. When you have them done, the dentist will match the color of the resin to your surrounding teeth and put the resin on in one visit.

It’s important to consider that composite resin veneers will stain just like normal teeth do. They’re also more prone to chipping than highly durable porcelain veneers.

That said, you can have composite veneers redone if you decide you don’t like them or if they become damaged. This is a more difficult and time-consuming process with porcelain veneers.

Getting Veneers in Redlands, CA

The porcelain vs. composite veneers debate comes down to money and time. If you’re comfortable investing in higher quality veneers that’ll last for a decade and don’t mind having your teeth molded, porcelain is the way to go.

When you’re on a budget, composite veneers are still an amazing choice. They’ll protect your teeth and improve your smile, just as porcelain veneers do, but you may need to replace them at some point.

To learn more about your veneer options in Redlands, book an appointment with Michele Wang Cosmetic and Family Dentistry today.