I recently invested in a smile makeover, and I am really happy with the results. However, I have noticed something and wondered if you could explain. I thought my dentist was going to place porcelain veneers, but it looks like the porcelain wraps all the way around my tooth. Isn’t that actually a crown? Can you offer a reason why my dentist would have chosen to use porcelain crowns instead of veneers? I am not disappointed at all —my smile is really beautiful. I am just curious as to why my dentist chose to cover my teeth entirely rather than going with veneers. Can you shed some light on this?
Thanks,
Alicia from Madison
Dear Alicia,
Without seeing what your teeth were like before your makeover, it would be difficult to say why your dentist chose to go with porcelain crowns instead of veneers. Typically, a dentist will chose the most conservative treatment possible. Only a small amount of shaving of the front of the teeth is required for porcelain veneers, while substantial reduction of your natural teeth is required for porcelain crowns. For your own information, you should ask your dentist why he chose the more aggressive treatment option.
That being said, it is not at all unusual for a cosmetic dentist to use porcelain crowns in a makeover, especially across the front teeth. Your dentist might have chosen them to make a change to your bite, or to protect teeth that were weak or had fillings, or simply because they were the best choice to yield a beautiful smile.
In terms of cost, most dentists have identical or nearly identical fee structures for porcelain veneers and crowns, so you don’t really have to be concerned that your smile makeover cost more than it should have.
It is important, though, that you discover why your dentist went with porcelain crowns, so you have a full understanding of your dental procedure.
