Composite veneers to improve your smile
If you are interested in smile improvement then dental veneers are one of your reliable options. These are ultra-thin shells that are fit to the front of the teeth to hide small imperfections. Veneers are just one of the many options that modern dentistry offers to improve the appearance of the teeth. A few other options that also contribute to smile improvement include dental crowns, tooth bonding, enameloplasty, etc.
Veneers that are applied to the teeth are of two varieties, namely porcelain veneers and composite veneers. As you can easily imply from the name itself porcelain veneers are made of porcelain. These are custom-made to fit your teeth perfectly. Composite veneers – on the other hand – are made from a resin material and come in the color of the teeth. To make it easier for you to understand composite veneers are made from the same kind of material that is used in the tooth bonding procedure. Both composite and porcelain veneers have their advantages and disadvantages.
Who are veneers for?
As we have already mentioned above, dental veneers are meant to cover up minor imperfections of the teeth to provide you with an improved and bright smile. According to dentists providing treatment with dental veneers in London these imperfections include the following – stained or discolored teeth and crooked or misshaped teeth. In addition to that veneers can also help if the outermost enamel coating of your tooth has eroded away leaving the roots exposed.
Just like crowns, veneers cover a part of the tooth although the two are completely different. A crown is thicker and requires more trimming of the tooth. Veneers on the other hand may or may not require trimming of the tooth.
Veneers fit the bill better when your teeth are already in pretty good shape and you only want to change their appearance in terms of color and shape. Dental crowns are applied to a tooth that is comparatively more damaged and needs some kind of reinforcement. In cases of partially broken tooth or root canal treatment, a dental crown happens to be the more reliable solution.
Different types of veneers
Dentists offer patients to choose from 3 distinct varieties of veneers, namely –
- Direct composite veneers
- Indirect composite veneers and
- Porcelain veneers
Let us now briefly explore each of those varieties in the following section of the blog post.
Direct composite veneers
This variety of dental veneers is made from composite resin material. It is directly applied to the teeth. Application of veneers to the teeth is never a lengthy task for dentists. Even preparing the teeth for veneers is not a lengthy affair either. The application procedure too happens to be minimally invasive.
Indirect composite veneers
The difference between direct and indirect composite veneers lies in their application process. You will be given a set of temporary veneers till your indirect veneers are custom-made. Veneers are actually custom-made either at your dentist’s office or in a dental lab. In the next appointment, your dentist will remove the temporary veneers from your teeth and replace them with custom-made indirect composite veneers. Indirect composite veneers are attached to the teeth’ surface using a layer of dental adhesive. This range of veneers withstands more abrasions and can also resist fractures better than its direct composite counterpart. On the flip side, indirect composite veneers also cost more than direct composite ones.
Porcelain veneers
Porcelain veneers – as the name suggests – are made from porcelain. It is also custom-made in a dental lab to fit perfectly on your teeth. So your dentist has to prepare an impression of your teeth. Your porcelain veneers are made from that mold. Thus the process make stretches up to a week or longer. Meanwhile, you will get a set of temporary veneers just as the case in indirect composite veneers. Lastly, your dentist will use dental cement to apply the thin shells of porcelain to the front surface of your teeth and shape them to look natural.
Composite and porcelain veneers – A brief comparison
Both varieties of veneers have their own pros and cons. You should better consider these facts and factors before making your choice.
Composite veneers benefits
- The price is pretty easily affordable.
- The application process is also shorter if the veneers are applied directly.
- It can effectively cover a number of issues that are basically related to aesthetics.
- Dentists rely on it to solve issues like teeth discoloration and misshaped or misaligned teeth.
Composite veneers disadvantages
- The material itself is weaker than porcelain; thus the veneers are easily prone to chip.
- It requires to be replaced or repaired more frequently compared to the porcelain counterpart.
Porcelain veneers benefits
- Porcelain itself is a stronger material compared to composite and thus lasts longer.
- Because of the inherent strength of the material, the range of veneers can be precisely custom finished to fit your teeth better.
- Because of the better custom finish of the product it provides a more natural appearance.
- Compared to composite veneers porcelain ones can fix your darker stained teeth and severely misaligned teeth.
Porcelain veneers disadvantages
- Compared to composite veneers this variety is more costly.
- You have to visit your dentist more than once for this procedure.
- Porcelain veneers are prone to fall off and thus have to be glued to the teeth again and again.
The expected life of composite veneers
Composite veneers have made impressive progress in terms of quality. Thus the modern versions of composite veneers in London are pretty much durable compared to that of the past. It can easily last up to 7/8 years on average. After that, a replacement is required. However, porcelain veneers are pretty much long-lasting compared to that. Porcelain veneers easily last 10 to 15 years. But it is possible to extend the life of composite veneers. You just need a little care and consciousness to extend its life.
Trained and experienced dentists associated with the Bayswater Dental Clinic in London suggest the minimal care routine for your composite veneers in the section below.
- Brush the teeth regularly with non-abrasive toothpaste.
- Stop nail-biting.
- Avoid chewing on ice cubes.
- Do not use the teeth as a bottle opener.
- Stop chewing on pencil tips and pen caps.
In addition to that it is important to lessen the intake of common beverages like coffee, tea, and red wine. These drinks are likely to stain your veneers.
Read Related Article: How Should Your Oral Hygiene Routine Look Like?
