If you’re unhappy with your smile, you’re not alone. Many people wish they had whiter, straighter, or more even teeth as a beautiful smile builds confidence. Luckily, many cosmetic dentistry options can help you get the smile you’ve always wanted. Two of the most popular are veneers and dental bridges.
A dental bridge is a structure that replaces one or more teeth, forming a “bridge” between the gap created by missing teeth. Veneers are thin shells that cover the front surfaces of teeth to change the tooth appearance.
You can get just veneers, just a dental bridge, or even veneers with a dental bridge if your dentist recommends. However, if you need both, it is generally more affordable and effective to get a new bridge made to match new veneers than to put veneers over an existing bridge.
Do You Need a Dental Bridge?
Bridges are simply fixed partial dentures and are used to cover gaps from missing teeth when there are healthy teeth on both sides of the gap.
A dental bridge is formed by slipping two crowns over the healthy teeth on both sides of the gap. These crowns are connected to a replacement tooth called a pontic that will “bridge” the gap to create the appearance of a full smile. There are permanent dental bridges in which the crowns and pontic are cemented into place and removable bridges in which they are not.
Permanent bridges last between five and fifteen years, but they are generally more expensive. Removable bridges must be regularly removed and cleaned to maintain proper dental hygiene, but they are still reliable.
Do You Need Veneers?
Veneers can be used to change the shape, color, size, or even length of teeth, making them a great choice if your teeth are discolored, damaged, or misaligned. Veneers can be made from thin porcelain, acrylic materials, or resin composites.
Porcelain has a lovely reflective quality that mimics natural teeth and is more stain-resistant than their counterparts. However, resin veneers are much thinner than porcelain and therefore allow you to retain more of your tooth surface during application.
Your Smile Makeover
Veneers and dental bridges are only two of many kinds of cosmetic dentistry treatments and interventions. Many cosmetic procedures are often used in combination to create a natural and complete smile, with dentists using veneers, bridges, crowns, and more as needed to improve not only a patient’s appearance but also overall oral health.
Trust the Experts
The expert dentists at Long Island Implant and Cosmetic Dentistry are available to help you come up with a personalized plan for your smile needs. We will work with you to weigh the pros and cons of each option, and help you choose veneers, dental bridges, or a combination.
Call us at our Rocky Point office to discuss your cosmetic dentistry options.
Additional Resources:
- Real Self, Can Veneers Be Put Over an Existing Bridge? https://www.realself.com/question/ash-flat-ar-veneers-put-existing-bridge-bridge-veneers
- On Health, Cosmetic Dentistry, https://www.onhealth.com/content/1/cosmetic_dentistry
