I get asked this question almost weekly, and I understand the confusion with all the treatment options available. I’m Dr. Emily Nguyen, Principal Dentist at Picasso Dental Clinic, and I need to clear up a common misconception right away before giving you the answer that fits your situation.
Understanding When Each Treatment is Used
Let me explain what each option actually does, because this confusion comes up constantly. A dental implant is a titanium post surgically placed into your jawbone to replace a tooth that’s already gone or needs extraction. If your tooth is chipped but still intact, an implant isn’t in the conversation at all.
That leaves veneers and crowns, which are very different solutions. A veneer is a thin shell of porcelain bonded to the front surface of your tooth. Think of it like a false fingernail for your tooth. It covers imperfections but leaves most of your natural tooth structure intact.
A crown, on the other hand, caps the entire tooth after we reduce it all the way around. It provides complete coverage and protection. At our Ho Chi Minh City clinic, I explain to patients that a crown is like a helmet for a damaged tooth, while a veneer is more like a facade.
Porcelain Veneers for Minor to Moderate Chips
Veneers work wonderfully for chips on your front teeth when the damage isn’t too extensive. I’m talking about chips that affect less than one third of the tooth, cracks that haven’t reached the nerve, or uneven edges from minor trauma.
What I love about veneers is how conservative they are. We remove only about 0.5mm of enamel from the front surface, preserving most of your natural tooth. The porcelain veneer then bonds to this prepared surface, restoring the tooth’s appearance and adding strength. Since 2013, I’ve placed thousands of veneers at Picasso Dental Clinic, and they typically last 10 to 15 years with proper care.
The aesthetic results are outstanding. I can match the veneer precisely to your surrounding teeth, and the translucency of modern porcelain mimics natural enamel beautifully. Patients from our 65 nationalities consistently tell me they can’t tell which tooth was repaired.
Veneers aren’t right for back teeth, though. Your molars handle too much chewing force for a veneer to hold up long term.
Dental Crowns for Severe Damage
When a chip is large, when it extends below the gum line, when the tooth is already weakened by decay or previous fillings, or when we’re dealing with a back tooth, I recommend a crown. Crowns provide structural support that veneers simply cannot match.
The process involves more tooth reduction than a veneer because we need to create space for the crown material all the way around the tooth. At our Da Lat and Hanoi clinics, we typically remove about 1.5mm to 2mm of tooth structure circumferentially. This sounds like a lot, but it’s necessary to create a strong, properly contoured restoration.
I prefer porcelain crowns for front teeth because they look natural, and porcelain fused to metal or full zirconia crowns for back teeth where strength matters more than perfect aesthetics. A well made crown lasts 15 to 25 years in most patients I’ve treated.
Back teeth almost always get crowns rather than veneers when chipped because of the biting forces involved. I’ve seen veneers fracture on molars within months, which is why I won’t place them there.
What I Recommend at Your Consultation
The honest answer is that I need to see your specific chip to give you the right recommendation. What I do at every consultation is examine the tooth carefully, take photos, and often an X ray to see if there’s any internal damage.
The size, location, and depth of the chip determine everything. A small chip on your front tooth that’s purely cosmetic gets a veneer. A large chip that’s painful or affects how you bite gets a crown. A chip so severe it reaches the nerve might need root canal treatment before either option.
I also consider your bite pattern, whether you grind your teeth at night, and your long term dental goals. A patient who clenches heavily might need a crown even for a moderate chip because a veneer won’t survive the forces. Someone with excellent oral hygiene and a gentle bite might do beautifully with a veneer for years.
At Picasso Dental Clinic, we’ve treated over 70,000 patients since 2013, and I can tell you that both veneers and crowns have their place. Neither is universally better. The right choice depends entirely on your individual situation.
If you have a chipped tooth you’re concerned about, I’d be happy to evaluate it at any of our locations in Hanoi, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, or Da Lat and walk you through the best option for your specific case.
