We are pleased to serve the community of Slidell, LA. Our doors are always open to welcome new patients who areready to receive the best in dental care.
Find Us:
Patient Library
Find helpful information in our digital library.
Archive:
- 2019
- 2018
- 2017
- 2016
- 2015
Tags
- celebrity smiles (48)
- oral health (13)
- dental hygiene (1)
- tooth contouring (1)
- cosmetic dentistry (6)
- dental injury (5)
- mouthguards (2)
- veneers (4)
- crowns (5)
- mouthguard (2)
- dental injuries (1)
- dentures (1)
- oral hygiene (18)
- pediatric care (1)
- teeth whitening (5)
- tooth bleaching (1)
- Toothache (3)
- nutrition (4)
- dental erosion (1)
- chipped teeth (1)
- sedation dentistry (1)
- oral sedation (1)
- athletic mouthguards (1)
- Dental Implants (11)
- orthodontics (4)
- braces (8)
- laser dentistry (2)
- gum disease (11)
- wisdom teeth (3)
- periodontal disease (3)
- root canal (3)
- Root Canals (2)
- dental sealants (1)
- bone grafting (2)
- pediatric dentistry (5)
- tooth decay (6)
- sealants (1)
- tooth staining (1)
- bad breath (1)
- bonding (1)
- Fillings (1)
- abscessed tooth (1)
- partial denture (1)
- dental emergency (1)
- anesthesia (1)
- periodontal (gum) disease (1)
- restorative dentistry (3)
- geographic tongue (1)
- teeth wear (1)
- air abrasion (1)
- burning mouth syndrome (1)
- tooth grinding (1)
- dental crowns (1)
- orthodontic treatment (5)
- bacteria (1)
- porcelain veneers (1)
- preventative dentistry (1)
- tooth pain (3)
- pregnancy (1)
- tmj disorders (1)
- sinus surgery (1)
- teething (2)
- Oral Cancer (2)
- cancer treatment (1)
- bone loss (1)
- teeth grinding (1)
- bruxism (1)
- blood pressure medications (1)
- medicine (1)
- Dental Extractions (1)
- Damaged Teeth (1)
- thumb sucking (1)
- smile makeover (1)
- osteoporosis (1)
- smoking (1)
- gum recession (1)
- pulp capping (1)
Categories:
Life-like Dental Porcelain Helps Restore Smiles Marred by Unattractive Teeth
With its life-like color and texture, dental porcelain can restore a smile marred by decayed or damaged teeth. This durable ceramic material not only matches the varieties of individual tooth colors and hues, its translucence mimics the appearance of natural teeth. But perhaps its greatest benefit is its adaptability for use in a number of different applications, particularly veneers and crowns.
Veneers are thin layers of dental porcelain laminated together and permanently bonded to cover the visible outer side of a tooth to improve its appearance. Crowns, on the other hand, are “caps” of dental porcelain designed to completely cover a defective tooth.
Veneers and crowns share a number of similarities. Both can alter the color and shape of teeth, although crowns are used when more extensive tooth structure has been damaged. They’re also “irreversible,” meaning the tooth must be altered in such a way that it will always require a veneer or crown, though on some occasions a veneer can require no removal of tooth structure and can be reversible.
They do, however, have some differences as to the type of situation they address. Veneers are generally used where the affected teeth have a poor appearance (chipped, malformed or stained, for example) but are still structurally healthy. And although they do generally require some removal of tooth enamel to accommodate them (to minimize a “bulky” appearance), the reduction is much less than for a crown.
Crowns, on the other hand, restore teeth that have lost significant structure from disease, injury, stress-related grinding habits or the wearing effects of aging. Since they must contain enough mass to stand up to the normal biting forces a tooth must endure, a significant amount of the original tooth structure must be removed to accommodate them.
Which application we use will depend upon a thorough examination of your teeth. Once we’ve determined their condition and what you need, we can then recommend the best application for your situation. But regardless of whether we install a veneer or crown, using dental porcelain can help achieve an end result that’s truly life-changing — a new, younger-looking smile.
If you would like more information on dental porcelain restorations, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Porcelain Crowns & Veneers.”