Crown vs. Veneers | Centennial Dental Center

Dental issues can sometimes be written off as purely cosmetic, but there’s nothing further from the truth. Did you know that a tooth that has had a root canal or has been damaged in a sports injury can cause more trouble down the road than you bargained for? One of our patients had a root canal as a young adult, and never got around to getting a crown. She figured that her tooth had stood up to regular use for a while, so what was the rush in spending more time and money at the dentist? Then, she was on vacation in Europe when she regretted that decision. While biting down on a tortilla chip, she broke that weakened tooth and had to spend the next week of travel chewing on one side of her mouth.

Thankfully, our patient came right to us when she got home and was able to get a crown placed on her broken tooth. She was lucky enough not to experience pain during her trip, but that doesn’t mean we’ll all be that lucky. Our recommendation is to always prepare for the worst. Why take chances on a damaged tooth when you can avoid the hassle that comes from an emergency visit?

Keep reading to learn more about two ways we can help prevent future damage to teeth: veneers and crowns.

Crowns

Crowns are used when a tooth has been through a larger trauma, like a root canal or a large break. If a tooth is badly decayed or damaged, chances are that part of the tooth will need to be removed to save the tooth as a whole. Placing a crown can help strengthen the remaining portion of the tooth, preventing damage to the root of the tooth.

Veneers

Dental veneers can be thought of as lighter versions of crowns. In general, they operate the same way. Veneers cover teeth, while retaining more of the tooth underneath. They can cover chips, cracks, discolored teeth, and even can be used to fill in gaps between teeth. Veneers can be color-matched to your existing teeth and are often almost impossible to identify as such after they’re placed.

Losing or damaging your teeth can be an upsetting experience, so don’t delay if you’re looking for advice about how to fix your smile. Give us a call at 208-322-1112 to schedule a consultation today.