Ceramic Veneer

Ceramic Veneer

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Veneers are an important tool for the cosmetic dentist. A dentist may use one veneer to restore a single tooth that may have been fractured or discolored, or multiple teeth to create a "Hollywood" type of makeover. Many people have small teeth resulting in spaces that may not be easily closed by orthodontics. Some people have worn away the edges of their teeth resulting in a prematurely aged appearance, while others may have malpositioned teeth that appear crooked. Multiple veneers can close these spaces, lengthen teeth that have been shortened by wear, provide a uniform color, shape, and symmetry, and make the teeth appear straight.

Comparison between Composite and Porcelain Veneer:

Porcelain veneers have several advantages compared to Composite resin including:

Porcelain veneers are very durable. Although porcelain veneers are very thin, usually between 0.5-0.7 millimeters and inherently brittle, once bonded to healthy tooth structure it becomes very strong. Porcelain veneers can last for many years, usually 10-15 years, if you take good care of them using good oral hygiene and avoiding using them to crack or chew hard objects like ice.

Porcelain veneers create a very life-like and natural tooth appearance. The translucent properties of the porcelain allows the veneers to mimic the light handling characteristics of enamel giving it a sense of depth which is not possible with other cosmetic bonding materials such as composite resin.

Porcelain veneers resist staining. Unlike other cosmetic dental bonding materials, porcelain is a smooth, impervious ceramic and therefore will not pick up permanent stain from cigarette smoking or from dark or richly colored liquids or spices.

Porcelain veneers are conservative. Only a small amount of tooth structure is removed, if any during the procedure.

Comparison between Crowns and Veneers:

Dental Crowns may also be used to correct the same problems that Dental Veneers correct (chips, cracks, gaps, misalignments and discolorations in the front teeth), however with crowns it is a much Less Conservative procedure