What are veneers?

Dental veneers are thin, tooth-colored material placed over the front surface of teeth to improve aesthetics, reduce plaque retention and protect teeth surface from damage. Veneers can be used to treat a number of different cosmetic conditions

Discoloured teeth due to any of the following reasons:

• Unesthetic restorations
• Stains
• Root Canal treatment
• Florosis
• Other causes.
• Teeth that are worn off, chipped, or broken
• To artificially align uneven teeth (malaligned teeth) or irregularly placed teeth for cosmetic reasons.
• To close spaces/ gaps between teeth.

Veneers may be fabricated using dental porcelain or resin reinforced composite materials  based on treatment requirements, patients preference and financial constraints. The resin reinforced composite veneers may be directly modelled chairside in the patients mouth or prefabricated nano-hybrid-composite enamel shells called Componeer's ®   or indirectly fabricated in a dental lab, and later bonded to the tooth, typically using a resin reinforced dental cement.

Designing beautiful smiles has been a challenge for many years and the dental veneering has been a crucial feature of this challenge. Veneers were invented by California dentist Charles Pincus in 1928 to be used for a film shoot for temporarily changing the appearance of actors' teeth. Veneers became more popular in the mid-seventies, using three different approaches: direct bonding using resin composites, prefabricated composite veneers and indirect, custom-made porcelain veneer.

Types of Veneers

 
• Composite Buildup- DENTAL BONDING
 
• Direct Composite Veneer System COMPONEER®
 
• Porcelain Lumineers
 
• Porcelain Veneers
 

Porcelein Veneers

We all know that imperfect front teeth can impact one’s self-esteem and sense of self-worth. All of us would love that million-dollar smile of a Hollywood/Bollywood actress. This flashy smile of these actors and actresses are generally a result of those porcelain laminates/veneers which is the trend of these last years. Lab fabricated porcelain veneers are expensive and look more natural as they mimic the light-reflecting properties of natural teeth, last longer and resist stains better than resin reinforced direct veneers. Porcelain veneers although the gold standard in achieving the desired aesthetics also carry the extra cost of preparation and lab fabrication of these restorations. Typically Porcelain veneers may require minimum of 2-4 appointments spread over 2 weeks which includes initial tooth preparation and impressions, considerable lab time for fabrication, trial to evaluate their fit, shape, and coloration to make sure they’re perfect for you and final cementation of these veneers using state of the art resin modified light cured adhesives.

Pros

• Conservative : Although they require tooth preparation but relative to full crowns they are less intrusive.
• Long-lasting: Porcelain veneers if well maintained can last upto 10 years and more.
• Resist stains better than resin reinforced direct veneers.
• Easy to maintain: Patient can brush and floss them as you would regular teeth.

Cons

• Irreversible: Require tooth preparation that involves grinding down the tooth structure. Veneers are then bonded to the enamel of your teeth.
   
• Expensive: Veneers cost between $800-$2,000 per tooth, a cost many find prohibitive.
• Technique Sensitive: Tooth preparation and laboratory preparation are highly technique sensitive
• Time Consuming: Veneers may require 2-4 appointments and considerable lab time for fabrication.
• Harder to clean around your gum line. This can increase your risk for gum disease.

How much do veneers cost?

Generally the cost varies from Rs 3000 - Rs 18000 per unit. The cost of your veneers depends on factors like what type of veneers you’re choosing, what quality of Veneer material you choose and the expertise of the dentist .

What is the procedure for cosmetic smile designing to attain that beautiful 'HOLLYWOOD SMILE'?

• In the first visit a thorough examination and assessment is done to construct a personalised treatment plan from our diagnosis. We take your X-rays at this stage to evaluate your teeth’s health to look for signs of tooth decay, gum disease, or the need for root canals.
• In this appointment based on your diagnostic records and treatment needs we discuss the various treatment options best suited to address your treatment goals, the type and number of veneers required along with cost and logistics involved makes the process transparent and clear for the patient to take an informed decision.
• In some cases, if teeth are crooked or uneven, braces may require to be placed before the veneers to attain the best results with minimal tooth preparation
• Depending upon the option chosen the preparation may be required in case of indirect porcelain veneers or direct impression is recorded in case of Lumineers
• It typically takes between one and two weeks after your impression to get your veneers/ Lumineers back from the lab.
• Once your veneers are in, a trial is scheduled in which we evaluate the fit, shape, and colour of the veneers to make sure they’re perfect for you. If there are any changes required, the veneers are adjusted and changes noted and the veneers are sent for necessary modifications after patients approval.
• The final trial may be scheduled for final check and patient’s approval of the final work.
• Comprehensive cleaning and polishing is done to remove bacteria and plaque from being trapped under the veneer that may cause decay. After this using a bur a rough texture is created on the tooth on which a veneer is to be applied for better retention of the veneer.
• Final cementation of these veneers is done using state of the art resin modified light cured adhesives.

How to take care of your veneers after they’re placed

Unlike other dental procedures, the recovery process doesn’t take an extended amount of time. Instead, once the veneers are cemented on and any anesthetics wear off, you can eat and chew as you normally would. While the anaesthetia is wearing off, be conscious of not chewing on your cheeks or tongue.

In some cases, immediately after the veneers are applied, you may notice that they feel a little rough. These rough spots (usually from extra cement that can adhere to the veneer) wear down after several days of normal eating and teeth brushing; if they don’t, your dentist can smooth them out.

Traditional porcelain veneers typically last upto a maximum of 10 and 15 years, and no-prep veneers last around 5 to 7 years. Taking certain precautions can help make sure that you get the longest lifespan out of them possible. These precautions include:

• Don’t chew on hard objects like pens, ice, or your finger nails.
• Never use your teeth to open packaging or condiment packages.
• Try not to chew with your front teeth. Eat harder foods with your back teeth only; cut up hard foods like chocolate bars so that this is possible.
• If you grind or clench your teeth at night, get a splint or retainer to protect your veneers.
• If playing sports, you must wear a mouth guard.