Dental veneers

What are dental veneers?

Dental veneers, also known as porcelain veneers or composite veneers are thin shells of tooth-colored, translucent porcelain or composite resin, custom made to fit over teeth and improve their color, shape and overall appearance. Placement of dental veneers can dramatically improve your smile and appearance.

What types of problems can dental veneers correct?

Dental veneers can be used to cover a variety of dental problems involving teeth in the “smile zone” including:

• Spaces between the teeth.
• Poorly shaped or crooked teeth.
• Broken or chipped teeth.
• Permanently externally stained and/or internally stained teeth.
• Unsightly or stained fillings.

Dental veneers can improve the appearance of the teeth but they cannot realign the jaw or correct overbites and underbites.

What are the alternatives to dental veneers?

The closest conservative cosmetic alternative to porcelain veneers is composite resin. Composite resin is a tooth-colored filling material that may be used to form dental veneers. Dental crowns may also be used to correct the same problems that dental veneers correct, however it is a much less conservative procedure.

What are the advantages of porcelain veneers?

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.

What are the disadvantages of porcelain veneers vs. composite resin veneers?

The major disadvantages of porcelain veneers over composite resin include the following:

• Porcelain veneers are not made at chairside. Porcelain veneers are fabricated in a dental laboratory and therefore require at least two visits. Composite resin veneers are accomplished in one visit. An adequate amount of tooth structure is removed to allow for placement of composite resin in the desired shape without added tooth bulk. Bonding agent is applied. Composite resin is then added, light cured, then finished and polished.
• Porcelain veneers are more expensive than composite veneers. The placement of veneers requires more time, expertise and resources in order to fabricate and bond and therefore cost more.
• Porcelain veneers cannot be repaired. If they break porcelain veneers must be replaced.

Are you a good candidate for dental veneers?

Dental veneers are not appropriate for everyone or every tooth. Case selection is an extremely important factor in the success of this technique. Veneering teeth is not a reversible procedure if tooth structure must be removed to achieve your desired result. Only an examination by your dentist can determine whether dental veneers are appropriate for making the changes you want. Some of the situations where certain teeth or people are not good candidates for dental veneers include:

• Unhealthy teeth. Dental decay and active gum disease must be treated prior to fabricating and bonding dental veneers.
• Weakened teeth. If a significant amount of tooth structure is missing or has been replaced by a large filling the teeth will not be strong enough to function with a dental veneer.
• Teeth with an inadequate amount of enamel present. Dental veneers are more successfully bonded onto tooth enamel.
• People who habitually clench or grind on their teeth. Habitual clenching and grinding of the teeth can easily chip or break dental veneers. Dental nightguards may be a solution for this in some cases.
• Persons without a stable bite.
• Severely malpositioned or badly misaligned teeth, where veneers alone cannot achieve the desired result.