Porcelain veneers are a quick fix to get a bright, beautiful, and natural smile. The following article provides information about these dental porcelain laminates, along with their advantages, and disadvantages.
Porcelain veneers or dental veneers are one of the simple and beautiful cosmetic solutions for correcting stained, chipped, or misaligned teeth. They are sometimes also used to cover the gaps between the teeth.
They are wafer-thin shells of ceramic porcelain placed on the surface of the teeth, which gives the person a more beautiful and natural looking smile.
Dental veneers are not the appropriate treatment for all types of teeth. It is only after the dentist carries out certain dental examinations that he/she decides whether these veneers are suitable for a particular person. Good candidates for these dental veneers include:
- People with naturally discolored or stained teeth.
- People who have undergone cosmetic bonding, and are now facing discoloration of the teeth.
- Chipped or misaligned teeth
- People with minor tooth imperfections
These cannot be used in certain cases which include:
- Teeth that are decaying or are unhealthy.
- Teeth of a person having gum disease.
- Teeth, which have lost a large amount of their structure, due to the decay.
- Teeth having a little or no enamel left on the front.
The Process of Placing Porcelain Veneers
They are placed on the teeth in two sittings. During the first sitting, the dentist trims the teeth by removing about 0.5 mm of the tooth enamel from the front side of the teeth.
The amount of the tooth enamel removed is the same as the size of the porcelain veneer, so that the original size of the teeth is retained. The dentist will then get an impression of the teeth or create a mold, using which these veneers will be made.
During the second sitting, they are placed on to the front side of the teeth. The dentist is now able to match the color of these veneers with the surrounding teeth.
When undergoing this procedure, the dentist will provide an appropriate color that will give the teeth a lustrous look. Once the fitting and color is finalized, the veneers are fixed using a special light.
Advantages
One of the advantages of dental veneers is that they give the teeth a natural look, as they closely resemble the translucent, natural tooth enamel. As a result of this, the light striking the tooth’s surface doesn’t reflect but pass through the tooth enamel and reflects off the opaque tooth dentin lying beneath it. This gives the teeth a bright and lustrous appearance.
Another advantage of porcelain veneers is that they are stain-resistant, unlike other cosmetic dental bonding materials. Therefore, these can be used by the people who are addicted to tobacco, tea, or coffee.
Disadvantages
There are some disadvantages associated with the use of these dental veneers.
These veneers have a possibility of breaking and falling off. Once broken or chipped, they can’t be repaired. Therefore, they are inappropriate for the people who have the habit of biting nails or chewing pencils.
Having these veneers is an irreversible process, as it involves the removal of natural tooth enamel. As a result of this, the original appearance of the tooth is lost. Therefore, one has to replace them when they fall off.
Due to the removal of tooth enamel, teeth may become more sensitive to hot or cold foods and drinks. Some may even experience tooth decay.
Above all, it is a very costly procedure and may cost about USD 900 to USD 1500 per tooth. Also, they have to be replaced after 10-15 years.
