PORCELAIN DENTAL VENEERS
Dental veneers are a popular choice of treatment for patients with crooked, stained or damaged teeth. If you have a chipped tooth or one that is showing signs of wear and tear then consider having a veneer.
Veneers or laminates as they often called are thin shells which are ‘tooth coloured’ and are designed to fit over a damaged or defective tooth. They are fixed or ‘cemented’ to the front of a tooth or teeth and can give you that ultra white smile as seen on models and celebrities.
Porcelain veneers are routinely used to improve the cosmetic appearance of teeth that are discoloured, worn, chipped, or misaligned. The ceramic material is bonded to the front of teeth to change the tooth colour, size, and/or shape.
DENTAL VENEERS GUIDE INDEX:
PORCELAIN DENTAL VENEERS
Dental veneers are a popular choice of treatment for patients with crooked, stained or damaged teeth. If you have a chipped tooth or one that is showing signs of wear and tear then consider having a veneer.
Veneers or laminates as they often called are thin shells which are ‘tooth coloured’ and are designed to fit over a damaged or defective tooth. They are fixed or ‘cemented’ to the front of a tooth or teeth and can give you that ultra white smile as seen on models and celebrities.
Porcelain veneers are routinely used to improve the cosmetic appearance of teeth that are discoloured, worn, chipped, or misaligned. The ceramic material is bonded to the front of teeth to change the tooth colour, size, and/or shape.
What are Dental veneers made of?
A dental veneer is usually made from porcelain, composite bonding or ceramic and can last for quite a long period of time. Porcelain veneers tend to last longer than composite veneers, as much as ten years although they will need replacing after that.
What can Dental veneers treat?
They are used to treat gaps in your teeth, stained teeth or teeth that have become badly worn over a period of time.
If you have teeth which are so badly stained that teeth whitening cannot help then veneers can cover this discolouration.
If you notice a chipped tooth or one that has become worn down due to excessive teeth grinding (bruxism) then consider composite bonding or a porcelain veneer.
Veneers are also good for hiding any unattractive gaps between your teeth.
They can be used as a means of improving crooked or misaligned teeth. An orthodontic treatment such as an Invisalign brace would be a better option as this will straighten crooked teeth, but this treatment can be time consuming.
As a result of this many patients opt for a veneer as a temporary measure. When placed over crooked teeth they instantly give the impression of beautifully straight, white teeth.
The most popular type of veneer is porcelain although some patients opt for a composite veneer (also known as composite bonding). The main reason for that is cost – composite veneers are cheaper than porcelain, but this can turn out to be a false economy.
Why Dental veneers ?
Composite veneers are not as durable as porcelain and tend to not last as long. If you decide to have the composite type then please be aware that these will have to be replaced more frequently than the porcelain version. So, this can be more expensive in the long run.
Plus, porcelain veneers also look more natural looking and are less prone to staining than composite veneers.
One area where composite veneers do come in useful is if you have a tooth with a small chip. They are very good at hiding these as well as helping to preserve the natural structure of your tooth
What is the Dental veneers procedure?
This takes the form of two stages which are:
Stage 1
An initial consultation which includes a thorough examination of your teeth and preparation of your tooth/teeth.
This involves the dentist reshaping the front of the tooth, or teeth to be treated. The dentist will give you a local anaesthetic to numb the area before using a small drill to shave off a small part of the tooth.
This small area will be equivalent to the size and shape of the veneer.
This is followed by the dentist taking an ‘impression’ of your mouth: he or she will place a tray in front of you which contains a special dental wax. He or she will ask you to bite down into this wax so that it leaves an imprint of your teeth.
This impression or mould is then sent to a dental laboratory where a technician will make a cast from it. This is necessary for the production of the final veneers and can take several weeks to do so.
You may be fitted with some temporary veneers whilst waiting for the permanent ones.
Stage 2
Once these are ready you will revisit the dentist for the final fitting. He or she will fit these onto your teeth to check the positioning and how they look, overall with your smile.
Once your dentist is happy with this, he or she will take these off: he or she will carefully clean the teeth to be treated before etching the surface with an acidic gel which helps with the permanent attachment.
The dentist will use a special dental cement to stick the veneers in place. He or she will also use a ‘curing light’ which stimulates the cement so that it hardens and forms a solid attachment between tooth and veneer.
Any excess cement is trimmed away and the teeth are given a final polish.
Single visit veneers
Veneers are usually fitted in two stages but it is possible to have them fitted in a single visit. Some dentists have purpose built CAD ceramic studios or CEREC which can produce personalised ceramic veneers in the one day.
For patients, this can mean having a veneer fitted in little more than an hour.
How long do Dental veneers last?
They do last a long time. Porcelain veneers last longer than composite veneers although these will need to be replaced eventually.
Porcelain veneers can last up to 10 years whereas composite veneers only last for 2 years at the most.
A good dental hygiene routine combined with regular check ups will help to preserve your veneers.
What can go wrong with Dental veneers ?
Dental veneers are long lasting and many patients are very happy with the results. They give the wearer increased confidence in their new, improved smile.
However, there have been a few cases where the veneers have become loose and fallen off. This tends to be rare as they are cemented firmly in place but if this does happen then keep hold of the veneer and contact your dentist instantly.
Are there different types of Dental veneers ?
Yes, there are three different types of veneer to choose from
Lumineers
Da Vinci Veneers
MAC
Lumineers are almost identical to a porcelain veneer except they are thinner and, don’t require any trimming. They are made from a cerinate porcelain which is the same thickness as a contact lens but is very strong.
To learn more visit our lumineers section.
The da Vinci veneer is similar to a lumineer: it is a very thin yet durable veneer which is proving to be very popular with celebrity patients and well known cosmetic dentists, especially in the USA.
In regard to the US: the name ‘da Vinci’ comes from the da Vinci dental laboratory in California which is the only place that manufacturers this type of veneer.
To learn more visit our da Vinci veneer section.
The MAC veneer is also produced in the US, at Microdental laboratories in California. It is made from pressed ceramic and is more durable than the traditional veneer.
These are also popular with celebrities and other high profile people.
Lumineers
These are an ultra thin type of veneer – same thickness as a contact lens, which look and behave in the same way as any type of veneer.
Made by the Cerinate Smile Design Studio in the US; these veneers are made from a special cerinate porcelain veneer which is thinner than but as equally strong as traditional veneers.
A lumineer operates in exactly the same way as any other type of veneer in that they are designed to cover a cracked, chipped or badly worn tooth. They can also hide any gaps as well as covering up stained or discoloured teeth.
However, there is one main difference between them and porcelain or composite veneers: that of minimal or no preparation time.
Why do Lumineers need minimal preparation?
With traditional veneers, the patient has to undergo a process called ‘teeth preparation’ in which the dentist uses a small drill to shave off a tiny sliver of tooth. This sliver is usually the same shape, size and thickness as the veneer.
But this is not the case with lumineers: with these veneers the dentist can attach them straight away to your teeth without having to carry out this preparation. If it is needed then it is likely to be minimal.
What this means is that your tooth structure is left undisturbed, which is useful if the procedure has to be reversed for any reason.
These versatile veneers can be fitted over any existing crowns or crown and bridge work and are the ideal answer to skewed, chipped or stained teeth.
Another positive is that they do tend to last for a long time, up to 20 years in many cases.
Other types of veneers include composite veneers, porcelain veneers and the da Vinci veneer.
Da Vinci Veneers
The da Vinci veneer is an ultra-thin shell which fits over a damaged or badly stained tooth. They are manufactured only at the da Vinci laboratory in California, USA and have become one of the most well respected brands of veneer.
These natural looking veneers are highly stain resistant, thinner than the usual porcelain or composite type of veneer and are extremely durable.
If you have a chipped tooth, an unsightly gap or discoloured teeth due to tea or coffee drinking then a da Vinci veneer is a good option.
What is the procedure?
The procedure itself is fairly straightforward. It usually involves three visits in which to carry out the following:
Consultation, diagnostics and a treatment plan
Teeth preparation
The fitting (bonding) of the manufactured veneers
First visit
In the first visit, your dentist will check your teeth as well as discuss your individual requirements. This is where you can choose the type of smile you want – often through a special 3D imaging programme.
The dentist will discuss the procedure with you and will outline the benefits and, limitations. This is your chance to ask as many questions as you need to and to be clear about what a veneer is and how it will improve your smile.
Second visit
Your second visit will take the form of preparation of your teeth for the veneers. In this 2 hour session the dentist will use a small dental tool to scrape off a small layer of your teeth. This layer will be about the same size and thickness of the da Vinci veneer.
This is followed by an impression of your teeth: the dentist will take a wax mould of your teeth (you will be asked to bite into this wax) which is then sent off to the da Vinci laboratory for casting. This will enable the lab to fabricate the actual veneers.
It can take the lab up to 2 weeks to prepare the veneers so you will be given a temporary set of veneers to wear in the meantime.
Third visit
In this final part of the treatment process the dentist will lightly place the veneers over your teeth to check the fit and appearance. You will be given the chance to look at your appearance and to make any comments about their placement.
Once you are both happy with this the dentist will then cement them firmly in place, before giving them a final polish.
There are other veneer options such as the Lumineer, standard porcelain veneer and the composite veneer.
Are dental grills the same as veneers
Dental grills or ‘grillz’ (hip hop terminology) are what you might call ‘bling for your teeth’. They are similar to veneers in that they fit over a tooth but are made of metal such as gold, silver or platinum. They are often decorated with precious stones or jewels.
These removable items of jewellery have proven to be very popular with members of the rap community such as Nelly and Kanye West.
