What Are They and How Do They Work?
A veneer protects teeth from damage to add to their appearance, improves their appearance, and creates a gorgeous smile.
You can change the shape, size, color, and function of your teeth with tooth-colored shells.
Dental veneers are cosmetic dental treatments since they are an elective procedure and are placed for aesthetic reasons. They’re also known as “smile makeovers.”
Colours and Shades of Veneers
Most patients choose veneers to improve their appearance, but they also serve therapeutic purposes and protect the tooth’s surface from damage. When teeth are damaged, chipped, or stained, they make a great choice for patients. In most cases, they can be repaired quickly and with the least amount of discomfort. The shells are available in a variety of colours to match your tooth colour and desired outcome.
Why Do Persons Get Veneers?
The majority of cosmetic dental procedures involve veneers. About 26% of them involve veneers. Dentists recommend dental veneers over other methods. These are some examples:
- Changing the length, colour, and size of teeth • Repairing chipped, cracked, or broken teeth (from injuries, nail-biting, etc.)
- To repair worn-down teeth (typically caused by teeth grinding)
- To remove white spots/streaks from teeth (typically caused by excessive fluoride use)
- To conceal stains and discolouration on the teeth (from dark-coloured foods, certain drugs, natural ageing, etc.)
- To conceal discoloured teeth caused by large resin fillings.
If a root canal has been performed, the tooth may be protected from fracture with a crown. Root canal treatment can cause tooth discolouration in some cases. To conceal the discolouration, a veneer or other restorative material may be used. Veneers can also be used on premolars, but they are rarely used on first molars.
Different Types of Veneers
Essentially, there are two types of material to make a dental veneer:
- Veneers made of porcelain
The most common material used in veneers is porcelain. They are tooth-coloured, versatile, completely custom, and have a lifespan of 10 to 15 years. Porcelain veneers, which are made of ceramic materials, are more stain-resistant than composite veneers.
When porcelain veneers were first introduced, the procedure’s conservative and minimally invasive nature was the primary benefit. This is because successful shell placement requires very little preparation. This is not the case for complete restorative procedures like dental crowns, so veneers are a popular alternative.
Your dentist will colour correct and shape the remaining healthy tooth structure by 0.5-mm or more before the porcelain veneer procedure. The natural tooth is then replaced with a bonding agent and a porcelain shell. If the tooth has very dark discolourations, opaque may be used. A patient can select from over 15 different porcelain shades.
- Composite Veneers
Porcelain veneers are a popular cosmetic option, but composite resin veneers are a more affordable alternative. A tooth-coloured cavity filling is made from the same material as tooth-coloured cavity fillings, which blend in with the surrounding teeth. Veneers made of composite material are slightly less expensive than veneers made of porcelain. They are typically created in a short period, making them a viable option for same-day treatment. Rather than being sculpted in a dental laboratory, direct composite veneers (composite bonding) are carved on the teeth.
Composite veneers, like porcelain veneers, require teeth to be reshaped before being placed in the mouth. Composite veneers can also be applied directly to uncut enamel if the enamel has not been cut. They typically last between 5 and 7 years, whereas porcelain veneers can last up to 15 years. Porcelain is more traditional in appearance than composite. Repairing the chipped area is possible when composites are damaged. When porcelain chips, the veneer as a whole must be repaired or replaced.
- Palatal Veneers
Onlays are commonly used to repair teeth in the back of the mouth. On the other hand, palatal veneers are a specific type of clay that is used to restore the anterior teeth. Deep bite, bruxism, and dental erosion are all factors that contribute to palatal damage in the anterior teeth.
Chronic vomiting and severe acid reflux can both lead to erosion of the teeth. Palatal onlays are a fantastic solution for restoring only the damaged portion of a tooth while leaving the rest of the tooth unaffected.
Palatal onlays are a fantastic solution for restoring only the damaged portion of a tooth while leaving the rest unaffected.
- Lumineers
Veneers of this type are ultra-thin (0.2 mm) and translucent, making them ideal for use in dental applications. They are even more accurate in replicating the shape and colour of natural tooth enamel than porcelain veneers are. Due to the thinness of Lumineers, they do not require tooth reduction or recontouring, and they can last for 20 to 25 years, compared with 10 to 15 years for porcelain veneers. However, despite their ease of use, they have a higher risk of chipping than traditional veneers, which results in a shorter lifespan in many cases.
- Veneers that can be removed
Traditional veneers are more invasive, permanent, and expensive. Veneers that are removable are less invasive, non-permanent, and less costly. Upper and lower moulds are made of a patient’s teeth and can be removed at any time, similar to clear aligners.
Veneers made of composite or porcelain have a long lifespan but are not guaranteed to last for 5 to 15 years. Because dentists must remove a portion of the tooth’s enamel, permanent veneers, also known as temporary veneers, are irreversible. The use of removable veneers does not necessitate tooth reduction. Non-permanent surfaces, on the other hand, can be uncomfortable, don’t blend in as well with your natural teeth, and need to be replaced frequently.
What Is the Procedure for Placing Veneers on Teeth?
The following are the steps involved in veneer placement in general:
- To make room for the veneer, your dentist will remove some enamel from the front and sides of your teeth. The dentist will skip this step if you are getting lumineers.
- The prepared tooth structure is then imprinted (moulded) by your dentist.
- The dentist and you will select a veneer colour that best matches your smile for a natural appearance.
- In most cases, your dentist will send an impression of your tooth to a dental lab, which will custom-make the veneer to fit perfectly. This procedure can take several weeks, so your dentist will provide you with temporary veneers to wear while you wait.
- In addition to removing the temporary veneers, your dentist will place the permanent veneers on your teeth at your next appointment to ensure a proper fit and appearance. Before bonding the veneer, your dentist will clean your teeth.
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Conclusion
Dental veneers are a good transition. If you need to make more than just a small change to the shape of your teeth, as with bonding, but not enough to require a crown.
