Veneers are dental terms that are synonymous with the word veneer.
A veneer is a thin veneer with a thickness of 0.5-0.7 mm that covers the front surface of the tooth, thereby improving its cosmetic appearance.
Porcelain veneers are one of the latest achievements of modern dentistry. In this section, you can find out what veneers are, in which cases they are used, the advantages and disadvantages of veneers, the manufacturing process, and their care
In what cases is porcelain veneers used
The technique of facing the front surface of the teeth appeared as an alternative to all-ceramic crowns. Porcelain veneers are easier to make, more technological and require much less time to make.
Porcelain veneers are made by an indirect method, i.e. the process of restoring a tooth with a veneer contains a laboratory stage — they are made outside the oral cavity in a dental laboratory. They are used to improve the appearance of teeth that have partially lost color, are worn, chipped, or have an incorrect position.
With veneers, you can: 1. Restore congenital and acquired defects of tooth enamel. – fluorous spots
- tetracycline teeth
- teeth that have darkened as a result of trauma or root canal treatment with old methods.
- fix chipped teeth.
- correct the wrong shape of the tooth.
- restore old fillings that have been installed and lost their color.
- correct the presence of gaps between the teeth ( diastema, Trema).
Advantages of porcelain veneers
Veneers, in comparison with other types of dental restorations, have two main advantages: – there are no stains on porcelain veneers — porcelain veneers give the tooth a natural look
Why are there no stains on porcelain veneers
Previously, various materials were used in dentistry for aesthetic restorations. They had one significant drawback-a change in color, the appearance of spots. This was due to the fact that these materials were permeable. When eating foods that have coloring properties (tea, coffee, wine, tobacco), the color of these restorations changed, and stains appeared on the teeth. Compared to these materials, porcelain veneers have the advantage that the surface of the veneer is ceramic, and it is smooth and not permeable. Therefore, there will be no stains on the surface of the veneer.
How porcelain veneers give the tooth a natural look
One of the main properties of tooth enamel is transparency. This means that when light hits the enamel surface, it is not immediately reflected, but partially penetrates deep into the enamel layer. This light is then reflected from the opaque layer of dental tissue under the enamel coating. This transparency of the enamel gives the tooth a distinctive appearance. Previously, materials that were opaque or transparent were used to improve the appearance of teeth, i.e. these materials did not provide transparency when restoring teeth. Therefore, the light could not penetrate deep into the dental tissues, and was immediately reflected from the surface of these materials. Thus, these materials did not provide a complete resemblance to a natural tooth, but only improved the appearance of the tooth. Porcelain veneers in comparison with those materials have full transparency, thus, porcelain veneers provide a complete resemblance to a natural tooth. Light falling on the surface of the veneer can penetrate to a certain depth inside the porcelain, and then be reflected from the dental tissues. Therefore, the veneer is no different from neighboring teeth.
The process of making porcelain veneers
The process of making porcelain veneers requires two visits to the dentist. During the first visit, the tooth is prepared, the impression is taken, the color of the porcelain veneer is selected, and a temporary veneer is installed. During the second visit, a porcelain veneer is installed. One or two weeks usually pass between these visits. During this period of time, a dental technician makes a veneer in the dental laboratory.