DENTAL VENEERS

Uses of dental veneers

Dental veneers are very much beneficial for a person having stained and discoloured teeth as the veneers provide an attractive pearly white smile by improving the colour, position and shape of the teeth. The shade of porcelain is chosen by considering the teeth shade of the concerning patient.

A chipped or cracked tooth can also look like whole teeth with the help of veneers. The broken part is replaced by the porcelain layer which covers the whole front part of the tooth. Small gaps between the teeth can also be closed by placing veneers when dental braces are not suitable.

To bring the teeth into the line and shape, dental veneers can be the best option. It also protects the surface of the teeth from damage.

Two dentist visits are needed when you are thinking of dental veneers. In the first visit, the doctor will prepare the tooth and match the exact shade of the teeth. Veneers will be than fitted into the tooth in the second visit. Special adhesives are used to provide a proper hold to the veneers

Two main types of veneers material are:

Composite veneers: Directly fitted into the mouth or fabricated in the dental lab and later fixed by using resin cement.
Porcelain veneers: Indirectly fabricated in the dental labs. Porcelain veneers have the natural looking surface which does not get stained easily

Steps of the veneer process

A small amount of existing teeth will be removed by the dentist to properly fix the veneer over the tooth surface.
Your tooth impression will be sent to the laboratory for creating a veneer which exactly matches your tooth size.
Once the veneer will be prepared, your dentist will fix it into the teeth with the help of resin cement, to create a new, white and natural smile.

Contraindications of dental veneers

Dental veneers should be performed properly by an experienced dentist as sensitivity and tooth decay may be problematic conditions after having veneers if not properly performed.

Dental veneers should not be preferable for the minor misalignment and minor superficial stains as this is an irreversible technique. Professional cleaning should be prefered over veneers in case of mild stains.

This technique should not be performed in adolescents and very young age persons which do not have significant teeth problems. Cleaning and maintaining proper hygiene is beneficial over veneers.

Veneers can only be preferred in the patients with significant aesthetic problems such as badly stained and broken teeth.

Pros and cons of dental veneers:

Pros

• Damaged enamels can be easily replaced by dental veneers.
• Veneers can be an effective and beneficial solution for minor dental cosmetic issues like stained, crooked, gapped teeth.
• Veneers can whiten the teeth very easily.

Cons

• Veneers can be a costly treatment. Cost may vary clinic to clinic.
• After having veneers, some of the peoples might face some sensitivity to the teeth and gums.
• Its an irreversible procedure as some of the tooth structure is removed during the procedure.

Dental veneers are the choice of treatment for many patients since they are natural looking and easily match with the teeth.

What is the material used for a veneer and why?

Veneers have gained much popularity for the instant delight of looking good with a beautiful smile. Dental veneers are placed over the surface of the tooth. In Cosmetic dentistry, veneers are used for:

• Discolored teeth
• Cracked or chipped teeth 
• Worn teeth
• Gaps between teeth

The material used for veneer

Most commonly, dental veneers are made up of 

• porcelain or 
• composite resin

But there is another option of “no-prep” veneers with a different modus operandi to follow.

Porcelain veneers

These veneers require minimal reduction of teeth to reduce imperfections and then an impression of the teeth is taken for making mold. Once the mold is made, it will be sent to a laboratory to make the porcelain veneer which the dentist will fix on the prepared tooth or teeth. 

Some dentists may use CAD/CAM technology. Through this technology, the computer-designed veneer is delivered from the clinic to the patient on the same day.

Composite resin veneers

For composite resin veneers, after removal of the minimal layer of the tooth, the dentist will first etch the surface of the tooth or teeth with the etching material and then apply a thin layer of the composite material on the prepared tooth surface. Then the LED light is used by the dentist for curing or hardening the material. 

No-prep veneers

These veneers require minimal to no preparation of teeth. It affects only the enamel instead of removing layers of the tooth under the enamel. In many cases, it doesn’t require local anesthetics (L.A) or temporary veneers.

These types of veneers are used to enhance your smile, lighten the yellow color of your teeth or minimal discoloration. These veneers are not appropriate for patients with significant discolouration or irregularities.

What is the cost of Dental Veneers?

Veneers are a cosmetic treatment to enhance one’s smile. They are the treatment of choice for discolored teeth and teeth damaged by accident or decay. Dental veneers cover the tooth imperfections, thereby improving your smile.

The cost of dental veneers depends on the degree of correction required.

A dental veneer can be either Porcelain (a glass) or Composite (a plastic). The porcelain veneers are prepared in the lab and glued subsequently to the existing tooth surface to give natural appearance. Since, in porcelain veneers lab cost is involved, they are costlier than composite veneers. Composite veneers are made chair side directly into the patient's mouth.

The average cost for dental veneer in Delhi is INR 2,000 - 15,000.

Maintenance Of Dental Veneer

dental veneers do not require any change in your brushing or eating habits. Just like the original teeth, do routine brushing and flossing. Use non-abrasive fluoride toothpaste.

Follow-up visit is recommended once the treatment has been completed to evaluate the veneers.