"I want veneers", and then Dr. Karas takes a look and what the person actually needs is an implant, or the other way around. Dr. Spiros Karas, a general dentist in Manalapan, New Jersey, clears up the confusion: implants and veneers solve completely different problems, and once you understand the difference, the choice gets a lot easier.
Are dental implants and veneers the same thing?
No, implants and veneers are not two versions of the same thing. They are not even in the same category. They solve completely different problems. An implant replaces a tooth that is missing or needs to come out. A veneer improves a tooth you already have. Once you understand that, the whole decision gets a lot easier.
What is a dental implant for?
An implant is what you get when a tooth is actually missing or needs to come out. We place a small titanium post into your jaw where the root used to be. That post fuses with your bone over a few months, and then we put a custom crown on top. The end result is a brand-new tooth that looks and works like the real thing, it's the closest thing we have to growing one back.
What is a veneer for?
A veneer is a thin shell of porcelain that we bond to the front of a tooth you already have. Veneers do not replace missing teeth, they make the teeth that are already there look fantastic. Chips, stains, gaps, teeth that are a little crooked or worn down, that is veneer territory. One rebuilds a tooth that is gone; the other beautifies a tooth that is staying.
Do implants and veneers last?
Both are workhorses when they are done well and cared for. Large reviews of long-term studies have found implant survival rates around 95% after 10 years, and studies on porcelain veneers have found 10-year survival rates in the ballpark of 95 to 96%. Those are numbers from published research on the general public, not a promise, your results depend on your mouth, your habits, and how well you take care of things.
Which one is right for you, implants or veneers?
If you are missing a tooth or about to lose one, an implant is usually the answer, nothing else replaces a whole tooth, root and all, quite like it. If your teeth are all there but you're just not loving how they look, veneers might be your best friend. Every mouth tells its own story, which is exactly why you can't diagnose yourself from a video, you need someone to actually look.
Dr. Spiros Karas, General Dentist, Classic Dental Arts, 123 NJ-33 East, Suite #104, Manalapan Township, NJ 07726 · (732) 577-9000. NJ dental license #22DI1608300. This page is educational and not a substitute for an in-person exam; individual results vary.