Things You Need to Know Before Getting Dental Veneers

Dentist Mehmet Zahid Kazandi 2019-11-18

Dental veneers are a layer of material designed to cover the front surface of the teeth. There are several reasons why people prefer dental veneers. Let us have a look at them.

Purposes of inserting dental veneers:

• To cover discolored teeth
• To cover damaged teeth
• To improve the aesthetics of a smile
• To close the gaps in between the teeth
• To provide a uniform shape and color to all the teeth

There are two types of dental veneers:

1. Porcelain veneers
2. Composite veneers

Porcelain veneers 

The most common type of dental veneer is the porcelain veneer. These veneers are made up of thin shells of porcelain, which are placed over the tooth. Porcelain veneers are reliable and have high durability. They are resistant to stains, so they do not get discolored very quickly. Though a porcelain veneer is costly, it gives a more natural and realistic look and can last up to 10 to 15 years. But, a porcelain veneer cannot be repaired if it gets damaged or discolored. It has to be changed or removed.

Composite veneers 

Composite veneers are made out of resin cement. These veneers are not durable, and some pieces may get damaged and chipped off after some time. They are not resistant to stains so that it may get discolored soon, like natural teeth. Composite veneers are not much expensive, but they last only for around 4 to 8 years. These veneers, though, do not have to be removed and replaced. They can solely be repaired.   

Above mentioned are the two main types of materials used in dental veneers. But, apart from these two, there are several other materials used too. Here they are:

• Ceramic
• Lithium disilicate
• Da Vinci
• Mac
• Nanoceramic
• Acrylic

So now you know what a dental veneer is and the different types. Let us now move on to look at how a dental veneer is to be attached. 

The stages for getting a dental veneer 

Diagnosis and planning of the treatment 

If you like getting a dental veneer implanted, first visit your dentist and discuss it. Your dentist will check your teeth and decide whether dental veneers are needed for you. If so, you will be given another appointment to visit the dentist for further preparations.

Preparation

  On your next visit, your dentist will make a model of your teeth and send it to the dental laboratory. Here, they will construct your veneers according to the model given by the dentist. It usually takes around 2 to 4 weeks for the dental veneers to be built.

Bonding / Inserting 

  On your last visit, the dentist will first temporarily place the veneer on your teeth to check whether it fits properly. If it doesn’t, the dentist will trim the veneer and adjust it as needed. Once the veneer is of exact size and shape, the dentist will wash your teeth, polish it and engrave the enamel.

Then, the veneer is kept and fixed on your teeth and fixed with a special type of cement. The special light beam will be applied to the dental veneer, which will harden the cement. And as a result, the veneer will get fixed properly. And finally, any excess cement will be removed.

So above explained are the three main procedures of getting a dental veneer. These are the essential details you need to know before you decide on getting a dental veneer.