At Ideal Image Dentistry & Spa, we offer patients both veneers and dental bonding to perfect their smile. One of the most common questions we receive is wanting to know the difference between the two. While veneers and dental bonding are similar, they are also very different. Let’s take a closer look at both.
Dental Bonding
Dental bonding is the “application of composite resin to the surface of the tooth to repair it” [source].*Simply put, dental bonding is a quick, inexpensive solution to fix small teeth imperfections such as a chipped tooth, discolored enamel or a gap between teeth.
Reasons for dental bonding:
• Chipped teeth
• Closing space between two teeth
• Cracked or broken teeth
• Decayed teeth
• Discolored teeth
Learn more here.
Veneers
Dental veneers are a complete smile makeover. Veneers are placed over the entire tooth while bonding only covers a portion of the tooth [source]. They often take more time and money than bonding.
Reasons for a porcelain veneer:
• Cosmetically to create a uniform, white, beautiful smile
• Crooked teeth
• Misshapen teeth
• Severely discolored or stained teeth
• Teeth that are too small or large
• Unwanted or uneven spaces
Learn more here.
So what’s the difference?
The biggest difference between dental bonding and veneers is the time, money and complexity involved with each. Typically dental bonding is a quick procedure and is fairly inexpensive depending on treatment. Patients who wish to fix small tooth imperfections find bonding to be the best option.
Veneers are made either with composite resin or porcelain. The tooth enamel is shaved down to allow room for the new veneer. Typically, veneers take at least 2 visits to accomplish the desired look. Veneers are an investment as they are more expensive than bonding. Your teeth and gums need to be healthy in order to qualify as a candidate for veneers. A patient cannot have (or previously had) a history of tooth decay, root canal infection or gum disease. Since a layer of tooth enamel is shaved down in order to fit the veneer over the tooth, veneers are a permanent solution. They need to be replaced every 10-15 years so the cost investment is high.