Different types of dental veneers
Dental veneer is a type of material usually placed over the teeth to improve the aesthetics of your mouth. Dental veneer can be used to change the shape, colour and size of your teeth. Dental veneers are used for a medley of reasons ranging from cosmetics to covering the injuries in the mouth.
Advantages of having a dental veneers over its alternatives:
- They are natural looking
- They are stain resistant
- They are good for teeth whitening
- It is a fairly simple procedure
Dental Veneers can either be made from composite resin materials or porcelain type materials. Dental veneers are commonly used to counter:
- Discolouration of the teeth
- Repair broken teeth
- Apt for people with gaps between teeth
- Apt for people with misaligned teeth
The procedure starts with a dental visit where a dentist would take a nice hard look at the teeth and understand your objectives from the procedure. This would be followed by a X-Ray to understand the internal structure of your teeth.
The different types of dental veneers usually present are :
1) Porcelain veneers
A durable high quality veneer that is used for a natural look. Porcelain veneers are a fairly common procedure undertaken by people since it preserves the bulk of the original tooth structure and is a time-tested procedure. The procedure is fairly simple and involves trimming of your enamel and bonding of the dental veneer into your mouth. The procedure is completed within 2-3 dental visits.
The ceramist will fabricate the veneers in a lab and it will take a couple of weeks for the veneer to be created. It is then attached to the teeth.
2) Ceramic veneers (Stacked and Pressed Ceramic)
What differentiates ceramic veneers is that they are more aesthetic than porcelain veneers. Whilst pressed ceramic veneers are easier to manufacture and thicker than the other type of veneers, stacked ceramic are more attractive to the eye.
It is also understood by many that ceramic veneers are a bit less durable than porcelain veneers.
3) Lithium Disilicate
This type of dental veneers is apt for people who suffer from tooth grinding. Created using computer aided technology, they are a new age dental veneer which is increasingly chosen by many people due to its mechanical strength and durability.
4) Zirconia based dental veneer
Zirconia based dental veneers are very powerful and apt for people suffering from a structurally weak tooth. Made from a structure that is used to counter fractures, zirconia based dental veneers has been growing in popularity in recent years due to its ability to take damage.
In conclusion, an usual dental veneer lasts from 7 to 15 years. Consult your dentist to identify the goals from the procedure and make a decision based on the goals to be achieved, your aesthetic concerns and the budget.
