Dental veneers are thin, custom-made shells of tooth-colored materials designed to cover the front surface of a tooth to improve the aesthetics of the tooth or protect the tooth from damage to to the surface. Composites and dental porcelain are the two main types of materials that are used to fabricate a dental veneer. A porcelain veener must be fabricated in a dental laboratory whereas a composite does not have to be.
Porcelain laminate veneers were first researched in the early 1980s. This research found that porcelain can be etched with hydrofluoric acid and porcelain veneers can be bonded on the surface of a tooth permanently. Since then advances in ceramic materials, adhesive technology (bonding agents), and clinical techniques have allowed for porcelain laminate veneers to evolve into the treatment of choice for minimally invasive aesthetic dentistry. Various factors affect the long-term success of porcelain laminate veneers and a veener may have to be replaced over time. In one study, fracture represented 67% of total failures after an observational period of 15 years of clinical performance. The most frequent failure modes associated with porcelain laminate veneers are fracture, microleakage, and debonding.
The most common uses for a dental veener are for teeth that are worn down, teeth that are discolored, teeth that are misaligned, teeth with holes in between them, and teeth that are chipped. There are alternatives for those who have dental imperfections to a veneer such as a crown, composite resin bonding, or orthodontics. New research is always being done with respect to dental veeners.
For example, an interesting article appears in the Journal of Dentistry titled “Fracture resistance and marginal discrepancy of porcelain laminate veneers influenced by preparation design and restorative material in vitro,” by Tai-Min, LinPerng-Ru Liu,Lance C. Ramp, Milton E. Essig, Daniel A. Givan, and Yu-Hwa Pan (2012, pp. 202-209, vol. 40). The article discusses marginal discrepancy and fracture resistance of two veneering materials using two preparation designs.
The study found that
“…the most favourable combination was a traditional veneer preparation design with conventional sintered feldspathic porcelain. For the full veneer preparation, a stronger ceramic material such as ProCAD is suggested.”
If you feel you may benefit from a dental veener it is best to speak with a dentist. Perhaps you may benefit from porcelain veneers New York City. You can discuss with a dentist whether or not dental veneers are appropriate and what you are trying to accomplish. A dentist can also go over the risks and benefits of veneers and if other treatment options are available. If you do have a dental veener, a dentist will remove a small amount of enamel, make a model or impression of your tooth, and send this off to a dental laboratory for fabrication. Upon receiving the veneer, a dentist will then make sure it fits, and trim it if necessary before cementing and bonding it to your tooth.