Porcelain laminate veneers are used to improve aesthetically teeth that are discoloured, worn, misaligned, malformed, have gaps between them etc. Porcelain veneers, are wafer-thin shells made out of dental ceramic that are bonded onto the front side of teeth. Porcelain veneers have a semi-transparent appearance of the natural tooth enamel, thanks to recent technological developments about veneers.

Dental problems that can be corrected with laminate veneers:

• Discoloured, stained teeth that cannot be corrected with tooth whitening
• Chipped, fractured teeth
• Worn teeth
• Teeth that have gaps between them

Porcelain veneer procedure

First of all, you will determine your wishes and needs with your dentist and plan cost and process.

The first step is the preparation of your teeth to be laminated. With this procedure, the idea is that the enamel on the front side of your tooth is trimmed back about the same thickness as the veneer that will be placed. Then, your dentist will take an impression of your tooth and send it to the dental laboratory. You will usually have to wait 4 or 6 days while it is being made. That’s why during this time, you can wear a temporary veneer. In the second and last step, your dentist will remove your temporary veneer and your teeth will be cleaned thoroughly. And then he – she will etch the surface of your tooth with an acid etching gel. At the last step, your laminates veneers will ready to be bonded onto your tooth. Thus, in 5-7 days, you will have an aesthetic, natural looking and long-lasting smile.

Advantages of porcelain veneers

Porcelain veneer is the most resistant procedure to staining, compared to other bonding techniques in dental aesthetics. The smooth surface of porcelain prevents staining. In addition, it has an appearance similar to natural teeth with its translucent structure similar to natural tooth enamel.

Disadvantages of porcelain veneer

The most important disadvantage of laminate veneers, one of the most effective methods of smile design, is that it is a costly treatment. In addition, it needs minimal erosion on the tooth.

After the treatment

You may experience sensitivity to hot and cold foods or beverages for a week after application. It may take a while to get used to the new shape of your teeth. The patient who has become accustomed to the previous problematic structure will also get used to his – her new teeth in a very short time. It can be reasonably expected that a porcelain veneer will last on the order of at least 10 years. Factors such as chewing hard foods can shorten this period but regular visits to the dentist and good care will extend this period.

You need to visit your dentist, brush your teeth and use dental floss regularly for the care of your laminate veneers.