As the dental world continues to expand, there are more and more procedures meant to help you restore your dental health and smile. However, each of them is different, from the procedure, cost, and benefits.
Therefore, before you decide which dental procedure is best for you, you need to understand everything about them. The most common dental procedures are dental veneers, dental crowns, and dental implants.
Dental Veneers
Dental veneers are normally a thin layer, mostly made of porcelain that the dentist permanently bonds on the front surface of your existing tooth. Some veneers are also made of composite resin materials. Mostly, they are about one millimeter thick, which makes them less noticeable.
One of the main reasons you can get dental veneers is to help you achieve uniform and symmetrical smiles. For that, you need to get dental veneers on several teeth. Some other problems that veneers help fix are:
- Chipped teeth
- Discolored teeth
- Broken teeth
- Misshapen or crooked teeth
- Teeth that are smaller than average
Procedure
Before the procedure begins, your dentist needs to examine you to ensure you are a good candidate for the procedure. Your dentist examines you for cavities, teeth decay, and gum disease to determine if you need another procedure before getting the veneers.
You might also have to undergo an x-ray so that the dentist could determine the conditions of your jawbone.
On your next visit, the dentist grinds down a layer of your enamel to create enough room for the dental veneer. It also helps create a rough surface to make it easier for the veneers to adhere to the tooth. That is why you have to have enough enamel to be a good candidate for the procedure.
After that, the dentist takes an impression of your teeth, which they take to the lab to help create the perfect veneers for you.
On your third and final visit, the dentist bonds the dental veneers to your teeth. To ensure they fully match your teeth, the dentist polishes and cleans them.
What to expect after the procedure
Dental veneers are one of the fastest and least stressful dental procedures. Immediately after the procedure, however, you may feel uncomfortable, especially because you may notice some rough spots on the dental veneers.
Those are from excess cement that the dentist used to adhere the dental veneers to your teeth, and they wear off after some time.
If you get traditional porcelain dental veneers, you can have them for between 10 and 15 years. However, if you get non-prep dental veneers, they will last you for between five and seven years.
To prevent damaging your dental veneers, you should not chew on hard things, and you should get retainers or splints if you grind your teeth.
Cost
On average, getting dental veneers could cost you around $925 to $2,500 per tooth. Therefore, the overall cost depends on the material and the number of teeth you need correction for.
Pros
- Shorter procedure
- They last longer
- They give you a natural appearance
- Porcelain veneers are stain-resistant
Cons
- They are vulnerable to breaking and chipping
- You need to get them on multiple teeth to get a uniform smile
- You can’t get them if you don’t have enough enamel
Dental Crowns
Dental crowns are normally thin crowns that the dentist places over your damaged teeth. They help cover the tooth, restore its shape, and protect it from further damage. Unlike dental veneers, the dentist places dental crowns on the entire surface of your teeth.
Depending on your goals and budget, you can get dental crowns made of either porcelain, metals, or ceramics.
Some of the reasons you may consider getting dental crowns are:
- Covering dental implants
- Holding dental bridges in place
- Covering teeth that have had a root canal treatment
- Covering or supporting a tooth that has a large filling and doesn’t have a lot of tooth surface
- Protecting week teeth from further damage
- Restoring already broken teen or severely worn down teeth
Procedure
Like in dental veneers procedures, the dentist examines your teeth to ensure you are a good candidate and look for any existing dental problems. You might receive a root canal treatment if you have decay or risk of infection.
The dentist then numbs your gum and reshapes the teeth getting the crowns along their chewing surface. The level of reshaping depends on the type of dental crown you will get. If you have worn out teeth, the dentist may build up the tooth using filling material.
Finally, the dentist makes an impression of your teeth using putty or paste, or sometimes a digital scanner. They then take the impression to the lab, ad use it to make your dental crowns. Before making them, the dentist chooses a material the matches the natural color of your teeth.
Before you go home, the dentist places temporary dental crowns to protect your tooth. The dentist finally attaches the permanent dental crowns on the second visit, which is normally after two or three weeks.
What to expect after the procedure
After the procedure, you may experience problems like sensitivity and discomfort on the treated teeth. Sometimes, you may also experience chipped or loose crowns, or they may fall off after some time.
With proper care, your dental crowns can last anywhere between five and 15 years. You need to practice proper oral hygiene to increase the life of your dental crowns, which means that you have to floss and brush often. You also need to avoid hard foods.
Cost
On average, getting dental crowns could cost you between $800 and $1700 per crown.
Pros
- They help restore and protect damaged teeth
- They are durable
Cons
- They may chip for fall out over time
Dental Implants
Dental implants are surgical fixtures that the dentist places in your jawbone to replace a missing tooth. It normally resembles a screw that the dentist inserts into your jawbone, and it acts as an artificial root. After some time, the dental implant fuses with the bone on your jaw, making it stronger.
Dental implants are the closest things you can have to a natural tooth because they stand on their own and don’t negatively affect the nearby teeth. Some of the reasons you may consider having dental implants include:
- Replacing missing teeth
- Restoring your chewing and speech
- Supporting a denture or bridge to make them more comfortable and secure
- Restoring or enhancing your facial tissues
Procedure
Unlike dental crowns and dental veneers, where you can estimate the length of the procedure, it is hard for dental implants because the procedure depends on your treatment plan and goals. The procedure could last up to a year.
The first visit is a consultation for the dentist to determine if you are a good candidate and have any existing dental problems. On the second visit, the dentist performs surgery to place a titanium implant into your jawbone.
You then have to wait for your jawbone to fuse with the implant, which could take up to seven months. During the third visit, the dentist makes a small incision to expose the top of the implant, after which they insert a temporary cap.
That ensures that your gums heal around the gum and attain the right shape. That takes around two weeks to heal. After your gums heal, you go for your third visit, where the dentist removes the temporary cap and inserts an abutment, which will hold the crown.
The dentist then attaches a temporary crown to your implant to help the gums heal properly, and you have to wear it for around four to six weeks. During your final visit, the dentist removes the temporary dental crowns and replaces them with permanent ones.
What to expect after the procedure
Your dental implants need the same care as your natural teeth, meaning you have to brush and floss twice a day and use mouthwash. Also, it’s important to make regular dental visits. With the proper care, you can have your dental implants for a lifetime.
Cost
Dental implants cost between $1,500 and $6,000, depending on the type of implant you choose and the tooth’s location.
Pros
- They are strong
- Durable
- They are more comfortable and easier to chew with
Cons
- Long procedure and healing process
- More expensive
If you are in Phoenix and Ahwatukee, AZ, and are looking for the best place to get your dental veneers, dental crowns, or dental implants, Imagine Dental is your number one partner.
We have the best dentists in the area who have the right skills and knowledge to help you restore and improve your smile no matter how bad you think it is. Our priority is to bring back the smiles of our clients and boost your self-confidence and esteem through your teeth.
Our prices are affordable because we believe that all our clients deserve the best smile. You can visit any of our offices in Phoenix or Ahwatukee, visit our website or call us on our customer care line that is on 24/7.
