Veneers or Crowns - which one stronger and last longer?

I lost a lot of teeth structure and at the beginning I thought about veneers then I found web sites about crown which sounds better if you've lost lots of teeth structure.





So which one is stronger and last longer? I'm interested in crowns. I think crowns will be better since it works like a cap while veneers only covers the front surface? It should last longer than veneers as it can fall off. I guess crowns can last forever since it has stronger bonding? How long it will last?





What's the difference for PFM(what's that stand for?) crowns, ceramic crowns, porcelain crowns?





Thank you for your help.

Veneers or Crowns - which one stronger and last longer?
Crowns will definately last longer than veneers. I'm not sure which choice is best for you in what type of crown, a ceramic or porcelain would be best, without metal inside of it - they will show a slight line at your gums and look somewhat unnatural. Your dentist will help you make the best decision. A crown may occasionally need replaced, I am assuming that you are talking about front teeth (they typically only veneer front teeth) but the important thing to remember is that with crowns on a front tooth, they are there more for cosmetic appearance than for chewing. Tough sandwiches, apples, or the like should be cut up instead of bitten into, this will add to the lifetime of your crown if you don't use it as a biting tool. They can, sometimes, need replacing - if the dentist hasn't removed all of the decay, or if the tooth has further problems like an abcess later on, the crown may need to be replaced. Or, if the cement fails, it may need to be cemented again. Hope this helps you! Good luck.
Reply:PFM probably stands for porcelain over fine metal. Thats better. You don't want base metal crowns.





Having lost substantial structure, crown is probably the best way to go.





They last a long time, but eventually you will want them re-done as your gums recede. They should look good for 5 years but up to 20 years or longer. You still need to practice good dental hygiene. Have your teeth cleaned and inspected twice a year.
Reply:Bottom line.. Crowns and Veneers can last just as long as the other... They can last 6 months, they can last 30 years...it all depends on YOU!





PFM= Porcelain Fused To Metal


Porcelain= exactly that... its porcelain!


Ceramic= exactly that..its ceramic!





A crown covers the whole entire tooth.


A veneer covers ONLY the front surface of a tooth.





You would think a crown would be stronger than Veneers. Fact is, their both made with strong materials. But you cant put a time line on either one. Your the one in control of that... With proper care, they'll both last for a long time.





My suggestion.. back teeth i would have crowns (veneers dont go in the back anyways) For the front teeth i would have either Veneers or All Porcelain or All Ceramic crowns done there. NOT a PFM. PFM's after time, your gums can pull away from it, and the metal shows through. Which then, shows a blackish color around your gum line. Not attractive!!





Hope this helps....
Reply:IF you can afford implants in the front i'd go with that but if it's a choice between the corwns or the veneers -- CROWNS all the way! i had a great dentist who did from front 6 uppers all at the same time - it was a long day but that way i had the same color all at the same time and such.





crowns will last a good 10+ years and do civer the majority of the tooth. in the smile line do the porcelin on porcelin - they reflect or refract light so they look natural - people have NO CLUE i have them - top andbottom 6 AND a variety of others in the back. in the back for the porcelin on metal as they are stronger and that's where you bite mostly AND they are cheaper! PFM is porcelin fused to metal and fine for those teeth not in the smile line.





if you're in the detroit area i'd be happy to share my dentist's information - she was amazing - my teeth are set a little off center and she even fixed that with just thr crowns -- she had a double major in college - dental and art - she's great on reconstructive.





if you itemize on your taxes -- you'll be able to write the out of pocket off on your taxes!
Reply:If a lot of tooth structure is missing then a crown is probably going to be the way to go. Yes, there are all kinds of different crowns out there. If you're talking about front teeth (really anything you see in your smile) usually, all porcelain crowns are the way to go. They have a newer all porcelain crown out that is very strong and looks VERY natural, it's called a lava crown. We've had wonderful results with it. There are also porcelain crowns with a metal sub-structure and these work very well for molars. The best thing for you is to consult with a dentist. Good luck
Reply:this is not a decision that you get to make. the dentist tells you after you tell the result you are looking for. sometimes i do a 3/4 crown. sometimes it's a veneer that wraps over the incisal edge but not the lingual surface. you need not concern yourself with the details.
Reply:I have a veneer on my front tooth that's been there for 25 years and looks as good as the day it was put in - but it really doesn't get much wear.





I had a crown put in about a month ago. I'll let you know how that is in 30 years.
Reply:If you have lost alot of tooth structure veneers may not be the way to go.


Veneers are like Lee press on nails. A thin layer of tooth structure is removed from the front of your tooth. They are made of porcelain and are usually used for cosmetic reasons only b/c they are really thin.


If you are looking for a functional method, your best bet is a crown. They are stronger and do last longer. Not forever though. A crown can last between 10 and 15 yrs...sometimes longer.


A PFM crown stands for porcelain fused to metal. And is exactly just that. A ceramic crown is made from ceramic and a porcelain crown is made from just porcelain.


Your best bet would be to talk it over w/ your dentist. He or she is very knowledgable when it comes to these things. It's great that you are doing some research on this subject, but let your dentist make that decision for you.


There are other issues that would make veneers the way to go, but in your case it sounds like PFM should be used. They are reinforced with a metal alloy underneath the porcelain shell. You can not see the metal at all in the front and only a little metal shows on the lingual side (tongue side) so you do not see that either. The only one who will know it is there is your dentist. It will be matched exactly to your tooth shade and will blend in nicely.

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