Indications for Porcelain Veneers :

In mild tooth fractures whereby most of the tooth structures are intact, porcelain veneer provides a conservative solution to restore the tooth back to its original state  as oppose to crowning which requires more tooth preparation.

Causes of teeth discoloration are

 

a) Old leaking fillings that causes unsightly staining of tooth structures
b) non vital teeth associated with root canal treatment
c) Medications eg tetracycline . Teeth whitening does not work well for dark greyish discoloration. The treatment of choice in such cases is porcelain veneers
d) Excessive fluoridation can cause ugly white patches or mottled enamel.

This could be in the form of mild rotation or crowding of teeth. In such cases porcelain veneers provide a quicker solution as compared to braces which requires a longer period of treatment.

This can be in the form of single gaps or multiple gaps. Gaps in the incisor areas are unsightly as they tend to appear as black holes when a person is smiling. In cases whereby the gaps between teeth are small and with good space distribution , porcelain veneers provide a rapid solution to gaps closure.

Teeth that are worn down makes a person look older as the incisors are not visible during smiling . Porcelain veneers is a simple and effective method to increase the length of incisors and canines that are worn down. Visible incisors during smiling is associated with youth . On the other hand, aging is associated with minimal teeth showing during smiling.

Some tooth shapes are considered not aesthetically pleasing. The most common examples of these are peg shape lateral incisors and canines that look long and with sharp pointed tips. Porcelain veneers is a  conservative approach to restore teeth to their aesthetically pleasing proportions.

Contraindications for porcelain veneers

1) Inadequate enamel or poor quality enamel as this will result in poor bonding of the porcelain veneers

 

2) Patients with grinding habits at night eg ,bruxism. However this is not an absolute contraindication.Patients who are bruxer and are willing to wear a night guard at night , the porcelain veneers can be done successfully.

 

3) Bad bite. Patients with edge to edge bite or reverse bite are generally contraindicated for veneers

 

4) Poor oral hygiene. Patients with gum diseases presents with bleeding gums which will interfere with bonding of the porcelain veneers. Moreover ,for patients with gum diseases, the gum tends to recede rapidly, this will result in poor aesthetics for the porcelain veneers.

What is involved in getting porcelain veneers done ?

Examination of teeth ,gums and the bite to assess whether you are a suitable candidate for veneers.
A mold of your teeth will be made. From this ,a model of your teeth that is an exact duplication of your teeth is made
A detail discussion and assessment of your aesthetic requirements will be done . The model is then sent to the laboratory for a diagnostic mock up of the final veneers shape  as per discussion and assessment of the patient ‘s aesthetic requirements.

The diagnostic wax up of the dental veneers are presented to the patient. The size and shapes are based on the discussion on the first visit.

 

In complex case, a mock up of veneers in composite form is try-in in the mouth. This is an important steps as the patient actually get a preview of how the final veneers will look like in the mouth. Changes in shape and length can easily be done at this stage with composites. When the patient is fully satisfied with the aesthetic outcomes of the veneers, the ceramist will custom made the veneers to the exact aesthetic requirements. Bespoke Veneers !!!

The teeth are numb with local anaesthetic and the teeth are prepared minimally so as to conserve as much enamel as possible. Modern porcelain veneers are very thin (in thin sections of 0.5 mm) , as a result the tooth preparation is minimal as oppose to crowning which required more tooth removal. An impression of your prepared teeth is done and this is followed by fabrications and fitting of temporary veneers. 

The veneers are try in for fit and aesthetics . The veneers are than bonded to the teeth with powerful dental adhesives. 

FAQ

Porcelain veneers are metal free , as such there will be no black metal line visible. 

The average life span of veneers is about 10 years. When a veneer is chipped or loosen , it can be easily be replaced  with a new one since there is minimal tooth preparations for porcelain veneers.

Generally porcelain veneers are stronger and more resistance to stains and fluid adsorption. In the long term , porcelain veneers are more aesthetic as they have better colour stability and resistance to food and beverages staining. However , porcelain veneers are more expensive.

With modern dental techniques , the procedure although long , is relatively painless.

The veneers in our clinic are done by board certified prosthodontist.
Depending on the complexity of the case, the cost of each porcelain veneer is between $1400 to $1800

You cannot tell the difference between porcelain veneers and natural teeth. This is because veneers are thin and translucent . As a result light pass through easily and are reflect off the tooth dentine. The translucent and 3 dimensional prismatic colour of porcelain veneers is so superior , no other dental restoration for example , crowns, can match it in terms of being indistinguishable from natural teeth.

We are in the era whereby looking younger and better is important. Plastic surgery has become very popular lately because looking old and haggard is no longer acceptable in the modern society . The nice smile with good looking teeth will go a long way to looking good and young because the smile is major component of your face , about 1/3 to precise. Some time a person may have some wrinkles or grey hairs etc and yet they look good .