Dentures vs Veneers: A Comparative Guide

dentures vs veneers

In the United States, more than half of people feel insecure about their teeth. Whether you want a straighter smile, whiter teeth, or have missing teeth, most people have something that they would change about their smiles. 

Luckily, many simple dental procedures can improve the appearance of your smile. Some of the most popular options for getting beautiful teeth are dentures and veneers. 

Do you want to learn more about the differences between dentures vs. veneers to find the option that would work best for your oral health needs? Keep reading this guide for everything you need to know about these dental treatment options and to get help choosing the right one for your smile needs.  

What Are Dentures?

When you think of dentures, you most likely think of removable teeth. While this can be true, there are many different types of dentures that you can choose from. 

First, you can consider partial dentures. Rather than replacing all of your teeth, partial dentures replace only the teeth that are currently missing in your mouth. You can remove them and insert them into your mouth which will fill the gaps of your missing teeth. 

Full dentures are the most traditional type of dentures. Similar to partial dentures, they are removable. However, they replace all of the teeth in your mouth. If you get full dentures, your dentist may have to pull the rest of your teeth out. 

Lastly, you can choose permanent dentures. These are more similar to dental implants, as they are screwed into your jawbone and you cannot remove them. 

Similar to real teeth, permanent dentures are a permanent part of your mouth.

What Are Veneers?

Veneers are one of the most popular cosmetic dental services that can immediately transform the appearance of your smile. A veneer is made out of porcelain or a resin composite material and is essentially a thin shell. 

This shell is custom fit to your tooth and is attached to the front of your teeth. Because of this, veneers can improve the appearance of crooked teeth, tooth discoloration, chipped teeth, and more. 

Benefits of Dentures

There are many great reasons why you should choose dentures to improve the appearance of your smile. 

First, dentures are durable! They have a long lifespan and will look great for years to come as long as you properly maintain them. You will not have to worry about your dentures chipping or discoloring over time. 

Dentures are also a great option if you have teeth that are already missing. While veneers need to be placed on existing teeth and are not an option if you are missing teeth, dentures can replace missing teeth in your mouth. 

Finally, dentures look very natural! Because they are custom fit to your mouth, many people will not even know that you have dentures. Instead, they will just notice a beautiful, full smile. 

Benefits of Veneers

There are many reasons why veneers are a popular choice for smile enhancements. 

One of the biggest benefits is that they can easily treat many different types of imperfections. You can use veneers to improve the color of your teeth, make your teeth appear straighter, and fix cracked or chipped teeth. 

Because it is such a fast and painless procedure, you don’t need to be put under to get veneers. 

Another benefit of veneers is that they look very natural. Because your dentist will customize them to your existing teeth, they will not stand out or look out of place. Your dentist can completely adjust the color and shape of your veneers to look seamless next to your natural teeth. 

Denture Treatment Process

When you get dentures, the treatment process will depend on the type of dentures that you are receiving. 

As was mentioned before, you may need to get some of your teeth pulled if you are getting full, removable dentures. Other than this, the process for full and partial dentures is relatively the same. 

Your dentist will first take an impression of your mouth. This will allow them to create dentures that are customized to fit in your mouth perfectly. Because they are essentially recreating your entire set of teeth, it can take a while to complete this process. 

If you choose to get permanent dentures, your dentist will still need to take molds of your mouth to create your new teeth. Then, they will screw the implants into your jawbone. 

Veneer Treatment Process

If you are interested in getting veneers to improve your smile, you may want to learn more about the treatment process. This will help you feel more comfortable during your dental visits and you can better prepare for your appointments. 

When you get veneers, you will typically have to visit the dental office 2-3 times before the process is over. 

During your first appointment, you will have a consultation with your dentist. They will do some preliminary examinations, take x-rays of your teeth, and can answer any questions you have about the treatment process. During this consultation, you can also discuss your smile goals to see if veneers are the right option for you. 

When you come back for your second appointment, you will start the treatment. In order to fit the veneTo to your teeth, your dentist will need to shave down some of the enamel on your teeth. Then, they will create a mold of your teeth that makes it easy for them to create your custom veneers. 

You can expect your dentist to take a few weeks to finish creating your veneers. After this, you will have one final appointment to bond the veneers to your existing teeth. This may take a bit of adjustment and your dentist may also trim your veneers down to ensure that it is a perfect fit in your mouth!

Choosing Dentures vs. Veneers

When you are choosing between dentures vs. veneers, there are many things that you need to consider. 

First, you need to consider your existing smile. This is because veneers can only be placed on existing teeth. If you are missing any of your teeth, it would be best to get a full or partial set of dentures.

If you have all of your teeth but simply want to improve the appearance of your smile, veneers may be the better alternative. 

It is also important to consider the cost of both of these treatments. Neither option is a budget-friendly choice for improving your smile, but they can both provide immediate results. Veneers can cost anywhere from $800 to $1,800 per tooth.

The overall cost will depend on the type of material you use for your veneers and how many teeth you need veneers on. 

In many cases, dental insurance will not cover the cost of veneers because they are simply cosmetic and are not necessary to improve the function of your mouth. 

On the other hand, basic dentures can cost anywhere from $600 to $1,000 for a full set. Plus this cost is usually partially covered by insurance. You can find other, more expensive models of dentures as well that will cost more.

Still, when you think about the cost per tooth for your dentures, they are typically much more affordable than veneers. 

Finally, you should consider the lifespan of veneers vs. dentures. When you are making an investment in investing to be sure that it will last!

Veneers will typically last for about 10 years, depending on the material you choose for your veneers. After this amount of time, you will likely need to replace your veneers. Dentures typically have a much longer lifespan. 

They can last more than 20 years when they are maintained properly and are much less likely to chip than veneers. 

If you want to increase your confidence in your smile, you can talk with your dentist about the benefits of buying dentures and the benefits of veneers to see which one is the right option for your needs. 

Want Beautiful Teeth? We Can Help

When you are trying to improve the appearance of your smile, it can be difficult to choose the right dental treatment for your needs. By learning more about the differences between dentures vs. veneers, you can select the option that would work best for you!

If you are looking for the best dentures or need help buying dentures, Denture Rescue can help! We offer dentures and partial dentures without having to visit the dentist. 

Contact us today to learn more about our denture services and to get help choosing dentures for your needs. 

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