Veneers are ultra-thin shells of ceramic (porcelain) or a composite resin material, which are bonded to the front of teeth. This procedure requires little or no anaesthesia and can be the ideal choice for improving the appearance of the front teeth. Veneers are placed to mask discolorations, to brighten teeth and to improve a smile. Veneers are an excellent alternative to crowns in many situations. They provide a much more conservative approach to changing a tooth’s colour, size or shape. Veneers can mask undesirable defects, such as teeth stained by tetracycline and damage due to an injury or as a result of a root-canal procedure. Patients with gaps between their front teeth or teeth that are chipped or worn may consider dental veneers. Generally, veneers will last for many years, and the technique has shown remarkable longevity when properly performed.
Types of Veneers in Dentistry
There are two main types of material used to fabricate a teeth veneer.
Composite Veneers: A composite veneer may be directly placed (built-up in the mouth), or indirectly fabricated and later bonded to the tooth, typically using a cement resin.
- Aesthetics: Composite veneers are more opaque than porcelain veneers and therefore don’t mimic the polish of tooth enamel quite as well.
- Lifespan: Composite veneers typically last between 4-8 years.
Cost of composite veneers: The cost of composite veneers is about half that of porcelain veneers. - Advantages: The greatest advantage of composite veneers is that it is an additive process that is reversible and can be removed and replaced as needed. Composite veneers can also be fixed if they break unlike porcelain veneers.
- Disadvantages: Composite veneers tend to stain more often because of its porosity, the void spaces in the material, which means they require more maintenance.
Porcelain Veneers: In contrast to a composite veneer, a dental porcelain veneer may only be indirectly fabricated.
- Aesthetics: Porcelain veneers have a glass-like translucency that closely mimics the characteristics of tooth enamel.
- Lifespan: Porcelain veneers are more durable and last between 12-25 years.
Cost of porcelain veneers: Porcelain veneers are about twice as expensive as composite veneers and can cost up to $2,000 a tooth. - Advantages: Since porcelain is a ceramic (an impervious glass-like substance) it is extremely resistant to stain and chipping as compared to composite veneers, which means porcelain veneers rarely require maintenance.
- Disadvantages: Because porcelain veneers are very thin, they are inherently brittle. For people who grind their teeth porcelain veneers might not be desirable because when the veneer breaks it can’t be repaired, it must be remade.
Cosmetic Dental Veneers in India
Most of you have heard about cosmetic dentistry and porcelain veneers. Cosmetic dentistry is a science. Porcelain veneers are the most conservative and most requested cosmetic dental product in India today. Porcelain laminates, porcelain veneers, and teeth veneers are principally the same treatment modalities. Dental porcelain veneers is one of the best ways of achieving a prefect natural smile.
It is a painless procedure which requires only 2 visits spread over a period of about a week’s time. Cosmozone dental clinic has the Porcelain Veneers treatment options in India at a very affordable cost. Their design, fabrication, and integration into the patient’s mouth involve an exact process of scientific applications and procedural protocols that make cosmetic dentistry durable and long-lasting.
Dental Bonding
Dental bonding is a procedure in which a tooth-coloured resin material (a durable plastic material) is applied and hardened with a special light, which ultimately “bonds” the material to the tooth to restore or improve person’s smile.
Dental bonding is an option that can be considered:
- To repair decayed teeth (composite resins are used to fill cavities)
- To repair chipped or cracked teeth
- To improve the appearance of discoloured teeth
- To close spaces between teeth
- To make teeth look longer
- To change the shape of teeth
- As a cosmetic alternative to amalgam fillings
- To protect a portion of the tooth’s root that has been exposed when gums recede
What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Dental Bonding?
Advantages: Dental bonding is among the easiest and least expensive of cosmetic dental procedures. Unlike veneers and crowns, which are customized tooth coverings that must be manufactured in a laboratory, bonding usually can be done in one office visit unless several teeth are involved. Another advantage, compared with veneers and crowns, is that the least amount of tooth enamel is removed. Also, unless dental bonding is being performed to fill a cavity, anaesthesia is usually not required.
Disadvantages: Although the material used in dental bonding is somewhat stain resistant, it does not resist stains as well as crowns. Another disadvantage is that the bonding materials do not last as long nor are as strong as other restorative procedures, such as crowns, veneers, or fillings. Additionally, bonding materials can chip and break off the tooth.
