These are also called "porcelain laminates," "porcelain laminate veneers," and just "veneers." For our purposes, we will just call them veneers. Veneers are formed porcelain shells that are used to create a new front surface to a tooth. These are thin sculpted pieces of tooth-shaped porcelain that fit over the front of the teeth and are the premier standard of care in cosmetic dentistry. Permanently bonded to the front surface of a tooth, to restore or improve position, shape and tooth color, they can make a dramatic and immediate difference to one's smile and overall facial appearance. Veneers are wonderful for fixing common problems such as midline spaces (the gap-toothed look of the two front upper teeth) or chipped, crooked, missing, discolored, pitted, malformed, or improperly positioned teeth. Once only accessible to the wealthy and top Hollywood stars and models, veneers are now a popular way for many people to obtain the smile of their dreams.
Porcelain veneers may not be for everyone. Here are a few examples of poor candidates for veneer restorations: Porcelain veneers cannot be placed on teeth where there is decay or active periodontal disease (gum disease). These conditions must be treated by your dentist before porcelain veneers can be successfully fabricated and placed.
If a significant amount of tooth structure has been lost as a result of decay or fracture, or else already replaced by a dental filling, the tooth may not be a good candidate for a porcelain veneer.
Porcelain veneers do not significantly strengthen the teeth on which they are placed. Teeth that have, or have had, a significant amount of tooth structure loss are usually better treated by placing a dental crown on them instead of a porcelain veneer.
Veneers can only be successfully bonded onto tooth enamel. Some teeth, as a result of excessive wear or previous attempts at dental bonding, may have little or no enamel remaining on their front side. These teeth do not make good candidates for porcelain veneers.
Persons who clench and grind their teeth can make poor candidates for porcelain veneers. The forces created by these activities, termed bruxism by dentists, can easily chip or break porcelain veneers. Bruxing habits may be controllable during waking hours, but while asleep, a bruxer has essentially no control over this activity. If a person who bruxes does have veneers placed, they must be committed to wearing a plastic dental night guard when they sleep so to minimize the amount of stress placed on their veneers.
The Pros and Cons of Porcelain Veneers:
Advantages: Porcelain veneers are common in creating new smiles and smile makeovers. With porcelain veneers, you can have the smile of your dreams in a very short period of time. Typically veneers are difficult to stain, making veneers a very popular solution for many people seeking that perfect smile. Strong and very durable, veneers last from ten to fifteen years, and come in colors that will brighten dark teeth without the worry of them changing color.
Veneers are typically done in only two one and a half hour long appointments, and can actually strengthen your tooth. There is no additional maintenance, other than a follow-up visit to your cosmetic dentist and proper brushing and flossing on a daily basis. Finally, a whiter smile gives people to whom you are speaking a place to focus on and gives you a friendlier appearance.
Disadvantages: It takes roughly a week or two of a period of adjustment to get used to your teeth that have been changed in color, size, spacing and shape. While very little tooth is removed in most cases, there are situations where more tooth must be removed which increases the risk of trauma to the tooth. The amount of tooth to be removed for the veneers should be discussed with your cosmetic dentist beforehand.
It is common to have minor sensitivity after your teeth have been prepared for your veneers while wearing the temporary veneers. Some people can experience a difference in speech, usually pronouncing "s" and "f" sounds. This is corrected through minor adjustments your cosmetic dentist can make to your veneers. Veneers are very reasonable facsimiles of natural teeth, but not perfect replacements for natural teeth. It's common to see slight variations in the color of veneers upon very close inspection, as with natural teeth. It can take up to a month or two before your new smile feels a part of you.
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