One of the most important things that we do here in our Santa Monica dental office is to help patients understand and weigh their dentistry options. With that in mind, we have put together this overview of dental bonding and veneers, respectively. We hope that this information empowers you to take control of your smile, and achieve your dental goals!
Dental bonding process
Dental bonding is done with composite resin. Our team shades the resin to match your smile, and then place the malleable substance on the relevant teeth. We then shape the resin, and, once it is perfect, we cure it so that it hardens and bonds to your natural tooth structure. Dental bonding is popular among all types of dental patients because it takes just one appointment to complete this entire process. Using bonding you can close gaps in your smile, lengthen or widen teeth, resurface unsightly enamel, and even make poorly aligned teeth appear more seamless.
Veneer treatment process
A veneer is an individually crafted porcelain restoration. Because veneers are only about as thick as a contact lens, they can be applied over your natural tooth structure and still look natural and attractive. Prior to placement, our dental team will shape and prep the teeth that will receive veneers. Then, we permanently bond veneers to the teeth you want to transform. The entire treatment process take two to three appointments to complete. Because veneers cover the entirety of your visible smile, you can achieve a total smile transformation using only veneers.
Which is right for you?
Bonding and veneers are used to treat the same issues and achieve similar results. Generally speaking, bonding is less expensive than veneers, and veneers usually last longer than bonding. The treatment timeline is also a factor: if you are looking for same-day results, then bonding is probably right for you.
Regardless, the best way to get started is to schedule a consultation with our Santa Monica dentist. We are here to answer any questions you may have!