Children's Sports and Dental Injuries

Why Should You Choose Composite Veneers Over Porcelain?

27 July 2018 by Lillian Dixon

It isn't hard to figure out why people are attracted to veneers. You can to change your whole smile, and the effects are long-lasting. However, people sometimes find it tough to choose between porcelain veneers and composite veneers. Both have their own pros and cons, but here are just a few reasons why you should choose composite.

Cost

You're never going to get veneers on the cheap; what with having to remove enamel and perfectly match the veneers themselves to your teeth, getting veneers usually costs a couple of thousand dollars. However, you can cut down on that price considerably by choosing composite veneers over porcelain. Porcelain is an expensive material in its own right, and porcelain veneers need to be created by specialists who are naturally more expensive. Composite is relatively cheap, and composite veneers can be made right in your dental surgery.

Speed

The fact that composite veneers can be made in your dental surgery instead of having to be made in a laboratory means you can get them much faster than porcelain veneers. When you opt for porcelain, expect to visit your dentist at least twice and wait some time between appointments.

Enamel Retention

When veneers are fitted, your dentist will need to remove a small amount of surface enamel – if they don't, the fitted veneers would project from the teeth and seem too big. Removing that enamel is safe, but dentists generally recommend removing as little as possible, and this presents another advantage for composite veneers. As a general rule, more enamel needs to be removed when porcelain veneers are used instead of composite.

Repairs

It really doesn't matter if your veneers are made from porcelain or composite; at the end of the day, there's always a chance they could suffer a crack, chip or other form of damage. However, this is usually a more serious problem when you wear porcelain veneers since porcelain cannot be repaired. If damage is sustained, you'll need to have that individual veneer replaced, which can be both expensive and inconvenient. In contrast, composite veneers can usually be repaired quickly and easily.

Similar Appearance

You've probably read that porcelain veneers look more natural than composite veneers. Technically, this is true, but it might not be quite as important a concern as you think. Advances in composite materials have helped create veneers almost identical to those made of porcelain. A dental professional might be able to tell the difference, but regular people won't. If the only reason you're prepared to pay out for porcelain is an idea that composite veneers don't look natural, you might want to reconsider.

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