Dental Implants or Veneers?

Dental implants and veneers both transform smiles, though one is more for an aesthetic accomplishment. However, they both fall into different categories in dentistry too, so reality speaking – they are two very different treatments. Here at Crescent Lodge Dental Practice in London we dive in the worlds of dental implants and cosmetic dentistry to decipher their purposes and what you may look to have below.

Dental implants: in brief

Dental implants in London are a permanent solution to single or multiple teeth. They involve placing a titanium root in the jawbone where the gap of your missing tooth is, and the attaching a natural looking crown on top to form your replacement tooth. They are fitted with a minor surgery and are commonly made of materials like porcelain or ceramics to provide a true to life colour for aesthetic purposes.

Veneers: in brief

Veneers are a popular cosmetic dentistry treatment that fit like a false nail over an existing tooth. They too are made of thin sheets of porcelain because of its natural looking similarities to your existing teeth and strength. These do not require a minor surgery, though some of preparation of your teeth will be necessary. They use a dental adhesive to stick to the tooth surface and cover the whole tooth from top to bottom. They are used to improve the cosmetic appearance of your smile.

The main differences

• Who is suitable for these treatments? Dental implants in Clapham, London, are only suitable and required for those with missing teeth, as they are a replacement tool that fill gaps in your smile. Veneers on the other hand, can only be fixed onto existing teeth and are not an option for missing teeth.
• Form vs function. Dental implants both look and feel like a natural tooth and they restore function to the mouth. They help with biting, eating and chewing as well improved cosmetic appearance. While veneers do not improve the teeth function they do create a more cosmetically pleasing smile and can boost your confidence in your smile.
• What they treat. Dental implants in London replace missing teeth and they can come in many forms and types for example, an implant retained denture which permanently fixes a denture to your jawbone to replace a whole row of teeth. Veneers, on the other hand address a range of cosmetic concerns. If you have a chipped, broken, discoloured or malformed tooth, for example, a veneer it can help blend this tooth back into your smile.

How veneers are placed

Veneers are placed very differently to dental implants as they don’t require any surgery. First, impression are taken of your teeth so that we may create your veneers to fit and shape to your natural tooth shape. Some minor preparation of your tooth is undergone by essentially roughing up the surface ever so slightly, which helps the work of the dental adhesive used to fix them in place. Shortly after this process has been done and your veneers are made, we can then place them on your teeth to create a new smile.

How dental implants are placed

Dental implants in Clapham Common, London, are slightly more invasive than veneers, but you only require a minor surgery that only requires local anaesthetic. Each treatment journey varies between patients, as a lot of it can depend on how quickly you heal after the first placement. The root is placed into the jawbone and gums which is then left to heal, which may take a few months. The second stage is often placing the crown, the part that looks like a tooth.

Whether you’re considering veneers or dental implants in London, get in touch with Crescent Lodge Dental Practice or book online to transform your smile today.