About Porcelain Veneers

These are also called "porcelain laminates," "porcelain laminate veneers," and just "veneers,"

For our purposes, we will just call them veneers. Veneers are formed porcelain shells that are used to create a new front surface to a tooth. These are thin sculpted pieces of tooth-shaped porcelain that fit over the front of the teeth and are the premier standard of care in cosmetic dentistry.

Permanently bonded to the front surface of a tooth, to restore or improve position, shape and tooth color, they can make a dramatic, immediate difference to one's smile and overall facial appearance. Veneers are wonderful for fixing common problems such as midline spaces (the gap-toothed look of the two front upper teeth) or chipped, crooked, missing, discolored, pitted, malformed or improperly positioned teeth. They can be custom-designed to fit your face, smile, gender and personality.

Once only accessible to the wealthy and top Hollywood stars and models, veneers are now a popular way for many people to obtain the smile of their dreams.

Porcelain veneers make it possible for everyone to have a beautiful smile, not just celebrities. The Dentist in London wants you to know that you don't have to live with less than dazzling teeth. Porcelain veneers can cover many imperfections in the teeth by bonding a thin shell directly to the tooth enamel.

Although porcelain veneers are thin, they are extremely durable and stain-resistant. They come in different shades of white so you can select the color you prefer best. We will help you choose a natural-looking color, prep your teeth and then fit the porcelain veneers to your enamel. Once they are bonded to the teeth, they will blend in seamlessly without any telltale signs that you have had any dental work done. People will only see your beautiful smile

If you have severely discolored teeth that do not respond to tooth whitening methods, veneers can brighten your teeth.

Porcelain veneers may not be right for you

1. If you have unhealthy teeth. Porcelain veneers cannot be placed on teeth where there is decay or active periodontal disease (gum disease). These conditions must be treated before porcelain veneers can be successfully fabricated and placed.

2. If you have weakened teeth. If a significant amount of tooth structure has been lost as a result of decay or fracture, or else already replaced by a dental filling, the tooth may not be a good candidate for a porcelain veneer. Porcelain veneers do not significantly strengthen the teeth on which they are placed. Teeth that have had a history of significant tooth loss structure are usually better off being treated by the placement of a dental crown, and not a porcelain veneer.

3. If you have an inadequate amount of enamel on the tooth. A porcelain veneer can only be successfully bonded onto tooth enamel. Some teeth, as a result of excessive wear or previous attempts at dental bonding, may have little or no enamel remaining on their frontside. These teeth do not make good candidates for porcelain veneers.

4. If you clench or grind your teeth. Persons who clench and grind their teeth can make poor candidates for porcelain veneers. The forces created by these activities, termed bruxism by dentists, can easily chip or break porcelain veneers. Possibly a person can successfully control their bruxing habits during their waking hours, but during sleep a bruxer has essentially no control over this activity. If a person who bruxes does have veneers placed, they must be committed to wearing a plastic dental night guard when they sleep so as to minimize the amount of stress placed on their veneers.

Longevity - How long do dental veneers last?

There are no hard and fast rules about how long porcelain veneers will last. While you can certainly expect your veneers to last many years (some patients have had them for 20 or more years), it is unrealistic to expect them to last forever. With good home care and by exercising good judgment, it seems likely that a porcelain veneer could last well in excess of 10 to 15 years. Ask about our 3-year limited warranty. To make your veneers last longer it is important to follow a good oral hygiene program and also visit your dentist for check ups on a regular basis.

Plastic veneers, bonding and porcelain veneers

Composite bonding (also sometimes called "direct veneers" or "plastic veneers") is a tooth-colored plastic resin material. Bonding can usually be placed in one visit and is used many times to repair a smaller chip in a tooth or to make aesthetic improvements in more than one tooth. Bonding usually requires little to no tooth reduction or anesthesia. Porcelain veneers are usually more aesthetic in terms of the spectrum of colors, realism and translucency because they are made in a lab out of porcelain. Porcelain veneers are also more of a long-term solution than bonding, as they do not stain, discolor, and are stronger than bonding. Porcelain veneers usually require only a couple of office visits - the first visit to prepare the teeth and the second to seat the veneers.

So which are better composite veneers or porcelain veneers?

The most popular type of veneers are porcelain, which offer a stronger and more durable alternative to its composite counterpart. Composite veneers are also more prone to staining and do not last as long as porcelain veneers which also offer more a natural looking, translucent tooth-like appearance. Composite veneers are much cheaper than porcelain veneers in general, but considering that they do not last as long and need replacing more often they could end up costing more in the long run.

Composite work is ideal for small chips as this treatment preserves more of your natural tooth structure.
-

How do porcelain veneers work? Treatment Process

The porcelain veneer procedure takes place over at least two office visits.
The first part of any dental procedure is the initial consultation and examination so that the dentist can get a feel for what you want and understand your needs and concerns. The dentist should explain the treatment procedure to you including an accurate guide to the likely costs of your treatment.

During your initial visit, your teeth will be prepared for the veneers. This may consist of simply roughening, reshape and prepare the front surfaces of your teeth so that they can accomadate the veneersor, in cases where the veneers are used to correct structural issues such as crowding, the teeth may be shaped more extensively in preparation.

Once your teeth are prepared, a precise impression will be taken of your teeth. This will be used to fabricate your personal porcelain veneers so they fit securely to the tooth surface. whilst you are waiting for your veneers to be fabricated your dentist you may be fitted with some temporary veneers to protect your prepared teeth. Not all dentists will offer temporary veneers.

When you arrive for your next visit, your custom made porcelain veneers will be available for your inspection, and will then be bonded to the existing tooth, leaving you with the bright, white, youthful looking smile you've dreamed of.

The process involves removing a small amount of tooth structure to make room for the veneers. The dental lab then fabricates the veneers from impressions. After placement, the veneers look like natural teeth. Some advantages of porcelain veneers over bonding include increased longevity, and resistance to staining.

Maintenance and recommended care

With proper home care and scheduled dental visits, veneers can provide you with a beautiful smile for many years. A week or two after the placement of your veneers, we ask that you return to our office for a cosmetic polish and treatment evaluation. This visit is extremely important. It gives us the opportunity to evaluate the placement of the veneers, the tissue response and to answer any questions you might have regarding your new smile makeover. For example, if you grind or clench your teeth, please let us know. We can fabricate a soft night guard for you to wear to minimize the stresses placed upon your teeth while you sleep.

The maintenance of your porcelain veneers is relatively simple. Brush and floss as you normally would to prevent oral hygiene problems. Once placed, veneers are typically the kindest restoration to the gum tissues that we currently have available. Don't be afraid that you'll damage your veneers by either flossing or brushing. Any non-abrasive toothpaste is acceptable. A good home care regimen will help ensure the aesthetic success of your veneers.

Another important point is that oral habits such as nail biting, opening bobby pins and chewing on hard objects could damage your new veneers.

Dietary changes

Once placed, your veneers are very strong and will resist most of the forces placed upon them by a normal diet, so a normal diet should pose no problem at all. Porcelain has great crushing strength but poor tensile strength. Therefore, you should avoid anything that will bend or twist the veneers. Thus some precautions on eating habits as with bonding and crowing, As with your regular teeth, opening bottle caps with your teeth or biting into or crunching on hard candy or ice is not a good idea. They will not be as strong as enamel. Margins needs eventually resealing.

A Final Word

The decision to enhance your smile with porcelain veneers is a very personal one. Even a subtle change in your smile can make an exceptional difference in the way you look and feel - and. on your social outlook. When you feel good, you look great. And that helps you project an image of self-confidence and high personal esteem. If you have any further questions about porcelain veneers, please call us now.

• Crooked teeth or Misshapen Teeth

• Stained teeth

• Cracked teeth

• Chipped or pitted teeth

• Unevenly sized and shaped teeth

• Broken Teeth

• Gaps in Teeth or diastemas (spaces between the teeth)

• Disfigured Teeth

• Whiten Dark, Yellow or Permanently stained or Discolored Teeth

• Unsightly, stained or washed out fillings

• An ageing Smile

Vogue Smiles Melbourne - Porcelain Veneer

Vogue Smile Melbourne practices a full scope of general and cosmetic dentistry with unconditional commitment to excellence in delivering quality, warm, personalized dental treatment and care.