While a dental crown covers the entire tooth with a new surface, a dental veneer will cover the front facing.  Because the veneer is used only on the outer facing portion of the tooth, its application, construction and purpose are very different.

Dental veneers are used for a variety of reasons.  They can be used to fill in gaps, reshape a smile, and permanently whiten teeth.  When the natural structure of the mouth causes teeth to twist or slightly overlap or don’t come together at all, porcelain veneers can be used to reshape the smile.

To apply a veneer the front, and sometimes a portion of the side, enamel is removed.  The remaining tooth structure is shaped to support a natural looking, straight and functional smile.  An impression is taken and temporary restorations are fabricated and secured.  These temporary, plastic veneers can help the patient visualize the final restorations and make adjustments to size, color and shape.  A lab will custom cut and fit porcelain to match the remaining structure and the patient’s desired results.  These are then cemented to the tooth.  The impact can be dramatic.