Definition of dental veneer
Dental veneers are ingenious aesthetic restorations applied by the doctor on the external surface of the teeth to improve their appearance or to fill the spaces that are created between two adjacent teeth.
Also known as aesthetic facets or veneers, dental veneers are the result of a long research carried out in the dental field: these extraordinary restorations are purposely made in order to correct the appearance of a tooth and obtain an immaculate, candid and devoid of structural imperfections.
Applications
By masking the ugliness of the permanent teeth, the dental veneers are the main indication in the aesthetic treatment of the smile. Furthermore, the application of veneers is also indicated to correct some dental functions compromised by structural teeth defects.
Just think, for example, of the extraordinary utility of these products in improving masticatory function in the presence of a crooked tooth: a dental malocclusion created by a tooth that is not perfectly aligned can sometimes be corrected by simply applying an aesthetic facet to the imperfect tooth.
The porcelain veneers are indicated in the following cases:
- Resize a chipped tooth
- "Whiten" the yellow teeth through the covering of the same with these thin ceramic sheets
- Restoring the natural lucidity to the dental enamel, altered due to smoke, food, drink or self-induced vomiting: in these cases, the application of the aesthetic veneers to cover the teeth is indicated when the hyperchromatic coating that covers them is not removable nor through the scaling, let alone professional tooth whitening
- Enlarge the surface of two adjacent teeth separated by a diastema (noticeable interdental groove) without resorting to the use of devices, fake crowns (capsules) or prostheses
- "Lengthen" the teeth that have progressively worn out due to old age or bruxism
- Improve masticatory function, made difficult by the presence of a crooked tooth
- Make teeth white and shiny for long periods
In summary, the application of aesthetic veneers on teeth is indicated when neither the use of orthodontic appliances nor the dental cleaning / professional whitening treatment are appropriate or sufficient to achieve the desired result (white teeth, straight and larger).
Types of veneers
The dental veneers are not all the same: what changes is the thickness and the material used.
The thickness of the dental facet is around 0.3-0.7 mm and its dimensions must coincide perfectly with those of the tooth intended for restoration. Extremely fragile and delicate porcelain and ceramic sheets require great care during preparation and during testing before cementation.
The choice of the material of the facet depends on the patient's requests and the result to be obtained. The most resistant and glossy are undoubtedly those in ceramics and porcelain.
There are also composite veneers, which however tend to splinter, crack and stain rather easily: these prostheses are made from the same material with which dental fillings are made. The largest limit of resin veneers is durability: such restorations have limited longevity due to the tendency to marginal fractures, material discoloration, chipping and abrasion.
Unlike ceramic ones, the composite veneers allow functional aesthetic restoration in a single session: it is an "emergency treatment", chosen by the patient to save on the final price and to obtain an immediate result.
Advantages
In addition to improving the appearance of the smile in the short term (the corrective effect is noticed immediately after the operation), the dental veneers - especially the ceramic ones - ensure a long-lasting and stable dental aesthetic improvement, in full respect of the tissues of the periodontium.
When properly cemented by an expert hand, the aesthetic facets ensure a perfect and enviable smile (... comparable to those displayed in advertising megaposters).
Another advantage of the aesthetic facets is the simplicity of intervention: their application on imperfect teeth does not present particular difficulties, does not require invasive surgical operations and is not painful.
Although not always recommended for purely aesthetic reasons, dental veneers can also be used in young patients: the margin between the restoration and the tooth is almost invisible and the consequent maturation of the periodontium does not require any replacement.
Disadvantages
A disadvantage not to be underestimated is the cost: although it can vary according to the tooth and the type of material, the price requested by the dentist for the application of a veneer varies from 800 to 3, 000 dollars (about 600-2300 euros).
In addition to the price - objectively high - another minor inconvenience is added. Applying aesthetic veneers on perfectly healthy teeth of a young person is not always recommended for at least two reasons:
- A large part of the natural surface of the tooth must be removed to cement the facet: for the success of the operation, the tooth must in fact be suitably adapted through the filing of 3-30% of the tooth surface.
- Over time, veneers may require reprocessing (composite veneer boundary): it is estimated that 10 years after application, half of superficial dental prostheses should be replaced by new aesthetic facets.
