Veneers are a highly aesthetic and conservative solution to many dental concerns. We make veneers out of very thin layers of porcelain to completely cover the visible part of a tooth. The veneer is bonded to the tooth so the new tooth feels and looks like an original tooth.
How can Veneers improve my smile:
Large discoloured white fillings: White fillings are a great solution for a reasonable sized filling. They are however no match for the phenomenal colour and lifelike appearance that can be achieved with porcelain veneers. After time white fillings loose their lustre and pick up stains. Porcelain will never loose colour or lustre and will give much higher quality results than a large composite. This is true especially over time.
Spaces between teeth: Gaps between teeth can be masked really well with porcelain veneers. Composites can close small spaces however the versatility and extend of space closure with porcelain veneers is far superior. Because they are made in the laboratory we can achieve a very exacting final shape that integrates into the tooth.
Rotated and poorly positioned teeth: As the veneer can be prescribed to create a customised shape it is possible to considerably re position teeth so they are correctly aligned. If veneers are required then often this can be done instead of orthodontics and has the huge advantages of allowing highly aesthetic restoration in a short time.
Making teeth longer: With Tooth wear and fractures teeth can become shortened. This reverses the correct appearance of the teeth and the smile. Veneers can restore the correct length of teeth completely changing the whole smile re-establishing a youthful smile. Veneers can restore significant fractures of teeth in a very conservative way.
Making teeth fuller: Sometimes teeth are sitting back in relation to others and they can be veneered to bring them into the same prominence as the other teeth. By altering one or two such teeth all the teeth will become brighter and appear to have a better shape.
Teeth resistant to whitening: We can whiten most teeth but certain conditions are not responsive to whitening and Veneers can be used on these teeth to achieve a dramatic colour alteration as required.
Masking gum disease: Often with gum disease the gum around the teeth recedes leaving a gap toward the gum of these teeth. This is known as “black triangle disease” as the pink gum between the teeth is replaced with unaesthetic black triangles. Though very distressing for patients this can often be treated using veneers to close these spaces giving fuller and more appropriate teeth.
Malformed teeth: Sometimes teeth have an incorrect shape (“peg teeth”). With good planning it is possible to camouflage this and provide highly aesthetic correctly shaped teeth.
The Treatment explained:
Veneers are very technique sensitive and their planning and placement should be carried out in a highly skilled and professional manner. Unfortunately they are often provided as a rapid and cheap “quick fix” which usually leads to disappointment and early failure.
A thorough examination will reveal if veneers are appropriate to your situation. They are not a solution to all problems and should be avoided in people with excessive clenching and grinding or where the teeth meet in a very poor way.
We will plan the final tooth shape prior to adjusting the teeth which means we remove an absolute minimum of healthy tooth structure.
The final tooth shape can be built up on your teeth to “test” the shapes we are considering and to allow you determine if you like the proposed improvements in your smile. This “mock up” can be adjusted until we have a perfect shape which is then provided in the final veneers.
Along with the planning all the clinical stages need to be carried out to an optimum level. This includes:
Tooth adjustment: This is done under water spray to keep the teeth healthy. This stage is highly skilled and the clinician requires a good knowledge of the procedures and must possess a high level of clinical skill.
Impressions: A mould (impression) of the teeth is produced and this needs to be as exact as possible as the veneers are produced from this.
Temporary veneers: After the teeth are prepared we will provide you temporary veneers until the final ones are fitted. This is complicated as only the outer layer of the teeth are adjusted so the temporary veneers are very thin and retaining them can be complex. We have lots of techniques however that get over these issues.
Veneer manufacture: Your customised and unique veneers are made by hand in a labour intensive fashion by the most highly skilled technicians (ceramists) in Ireland. The laboratory stage is where the real manufacturing skill comes into play and is all carried out while you are awaiting the provision of these final veneers.
Veneer placement: The final veneers are then bonded to the remaining tooth structure. It is essential great care is taken to ensure they are placed perfectly and no cements (resins) are left in areas that would affect the gum health or ability to clean the teeth.
The procedures are carried out with lacal anaesthetic and the patient is comfortable for all the clinical stages. Our patients’ often sleep for the more advanced care as it takes time and they are comfortable and very relaxed.