Veneers

Overview

Dental veneers are thin shells of porcelain or composite resin that are custom made to fit over teeth, providing a natural, attractive look. They can be used to fix chipped, stained, misaligned, worn down, uneven or abnormally spaced teeth.

Why veeners?

For teeth that are severely discoloured, chipped or misshapen, veneers create a durable and pleasing smile. Plus, veneers are difficult to stain, making them popular for people seeking a perfect smile.

Pro #1: Easily Whiten Your Smile

Years of drinking coffee, smoking cigarettes or eating highly pigmented foods eventually take their toll on your teeth, turning them an unattractive shade of yellow or brown. Stained enamel can be bleached at home or by your dentist, but it can become stained again. If you're looking for an easier way to whiten your smile for good, dental veneers may be a good fit for you. Veneers are largely stain-resistant, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), so you won't have to worry about discoloration or needing to have your veneers whitened.

Pro #2: Fix Minor Cosmetic Problems

Slightly crooked or gapped teeth can be treated with braces or other orthodontic treatments, but according to Dentistry Today, these problems can sometimes be helped with veneers as well. Veneers are attached to the front surfaces of your teeth – so although they don't change their positions, they do camouflage minor orthodontic problems once they're applied. Your natural teeth may still be gapped or crooked, but nobody will know aside from you and your dentist.

It's important to note that veneers can't always replace orthodontic treatment, and your dentist may refer you to an orthodontist instead of placing veneers.

Pro #3: Replace Damaged Enamel

Enamel is strong, but not indestructible. Your enamel may still be worn down from overzealous tooth brushing or eaten away by highly acidic foods and drinks. The stomach acid associated with acid reflux disease can also damage your enamel. This can become a cause for concern, because lost enamel doesn't grow back. Fortunately, it can be replaced. Veneers are an excellent treatment for teeth with enamel abrasion or enamel erosion, according to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and are aesthetically pleasing at the same time.

Very minimal preparation with enamel preservation offer best results in esthetic dentistry. Composite restoration offer repairable option for a smile treatment plan. Sometimes, it may be preferable to extend the veneer preparations beyond the contact points toward the palatal surface, to hide the margins of the restoration. The use of porcelain laminate veneers to solve esthetic and/or functional problems has shown to be a valid treatment option especially in the anterior esthetic zone. The techniques and the materials employed to fabricate porcelain laminate veneers offer satisfactory, predictable and lasting results. The current porcelain veneers are esthetically superior, conservative and durable treatment modality. This review gives an insight about the evolution, indications, contraindications, advantages, and disadvantages of the laminates, as an effective esthetic restoration. (PDF) PORCELAIN LAMINATES-CURRENT STATE OF THE ART: A CLINICAL

PORCELAIN LAMINTES

• Teeth that are discolored either because of root canal treatment; stains from tetracycline or other drugs, excessive fluoride or other causes; or the presence of large resin fillings that have discolored the tooth
• Teeth that are worn down
• Teeth that are chipped or broken
• Teeth that are misaligned, uneven, or irregularly shaped (for example, have craters or bulges in them)
• Teeth with gaps between them (to close the space between these teeth)

What's the Procedure for Getting a Dental Veneer?

Getting a dental veneer usually requires three trips to the dentist – one for a consultation and two to make and apply the veneers. One tooth or many teeth can simultaneously undergo the veneering process described below.

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Diagnosis and treatment planning. This first step involves your active participation. Explain to your dentist the result that you are trying to achieve. During this appointment, your dentist will examine your teeth to make sure dental veneers are appropriate for you and discuss what the procedure will involve and some of its limitations. He or she also may take X-rays and possibly make impressions of your mouth and teeth.

Preparation. To prepare a tooth for a veneer, your dentist will remove about 1/2 millimeter of enamel from the tooth surface, which is an amount nearly equal to the thickness of the veneer to be added to the tooth surface. Before trimming off the enamel, you and your dentist will decide the need for a local anesthetic to numb the area. Next, your dentist will make a model or impression of your tooth. This model is sent out to a dental laboratory, which in turn constructs your veneer. It usually takes 2-4 weeks for your dentist to receive the veneers back from the laboratory. For very unsightly teeth, temporary dental veneers can be placed.

Bonding . Before the dental veneer is permanently cemented to your tooth, your dentist will temporarily place it on your tooth to examine its fit and color. He or she will repeatedly remove and trim the veneer as needed to achieve the proper fit; the veneer color can be adjusted with the shade of cement to be used. Next, to prepare your tooth to receive the veneer, your tooth will be cleaned, polished, and etched -- which roughens the tooth to allow for a strong bonding process. A special cement is applied to the veneer and the veneer is then placed on your tooth. Once properly position on the tooth, your dentist will apply a special light beam to the dental veneer, which activates chemicals in the cement, causing it to harden or cure very quickly. The final steps involve removing any excess cement, evaluating your bite and making any final adjustments in the veneer as necessary. Your dentist may ask you to return for a follow-up visit in a couple of weeks to check how your gums are responding to the presence of your veneer and to once again examine the veneer's placement.

What Are the Advantages of Dental Veneers?

Veneers offer the following advantages:

• They provide a natural tooth appearance.
• Gum tissue tolerates porcelain well.
• Porcelain veneers are stain resistant.
• The color of a porcelain veneer can be selected such that it makes dark teeth appear whiter.
• Veneers offer a conservative approach to changing a tooth's color and shape; veneers generally don't require the extensive shaping prior to the procedure that crowns do, yet offer a stronger, more aesthetic alternative.