What is the condition of your teeth that makes you uncomfortable? Does your discoloured, chipped or wonky teeth hinder your brightest smile? If yes, then you may consider getting dental veneers to improve your smile.
Veneers are thin teeth covers that are attached to the front surface of your existing teeth —it is very comfortable, and the fitting process is quick and usually painless. Plus, veneers are very affordable compared to other teeth restorative options; that is why it is gaining popularity in the UK.
Veneers can be composite or porcelain veneers, each of which has its advantages and disadvantages. The different types of veneers will be explained further in this article — you should know what brand to choose at the end of this article. You should continue reading to find out how to restore your smile with veneers.
The word “veneer” is derived from a French “fournir”, which means to furnish which means to improve appearance. From a medical point of view, a veneer is a thin plastic or porcelain coating bonded to the surface of an imperfect tooth to improve its appearance.
The veneers that made from porcelain materials are the most natural-looking and durable, but composite materials are more economical. Veneers are not suitable to repair damage from decay or trauma, but preferable for improving the appearance of teeth.
For veneers to be fitted properly on the surface of your tooth, a small amount of tooth enamel must be removed. The appearance of a single tooth or teeth can be enhanced with veneers —it can also be applied to all the visible front teeth as the need may arise. Veneers are designed to match the existing colour, shape and size of your teeth given their natural look; they can be used for a long time even up to 20 years if they are well maintained. Notably, the type of material used can also determine how long your veneer can last. There is no restriction on what you can eat using veneers because they have been designed to be very strong.
Tooth veneers can be used for correcting several tooth defects which include:
When your natural teeth are too small or too short, it can make you self-conscious about your smile. Veneers help to effectively restore the shape of your teeth, giving you a better smile.
Tooth grinding often damages the enamel, but porcelain covers restore the cosmetic appearance and protect the teeth from sensitivity.
A chipped tooth is not a problem medically, but you may be conscious of your smile as a result of it. Veneers help to bring your chipped teeth back to the original shape and size.
Discolouration of your teeth may happen naturally or as a result of your lifestyle choices such as smoking and consumption of some drinks like coffee or wines. Tooth discolouration can also be as a result of medical treatments such as repeated high dose of antibiotics in children or trauma that affects the nerves. A veneer is an effective option to restore the colour of your teeth, traditional whitening treatments may not give you your desired result, and you may suffer from sensitivity afterwards.
Braces are beneficial for straightening misaligned teeth, but some people are not always comfortable using braces and as such may want to consider veneer. Dental problems like gap teeth, misaligned teeth or irregular teeth can be corrected with veneers. Veneers cannot be reversed, and some layers of enamel may need to be removed for them to fit properly —for this reason, Veneers is not always recommended for children.
There are different treatment approaches dentists adopt; this is influenced by your aim of treatment and the materials to be used. Treatment like change in tooth colour is a simple and straightforward process that can be completed in two or three stages.
Correcting other dental problems such as chipped tooth and teeth misaligned teeth are always more complicated compared to tooth colouration. For the chipped tooth, it will need more planning and testing to achieve the desired result —the dentist creates a dental mark to test different shapes of teeth that is best for the patient.
It takes time to fabricate porcelain veneers in the lab, which makes it costlier. No lab work is required to create composite veneers; they are built up and shaped as the treatment is being taken. You should have an understanding of the process before you begin. Your dentist should be able to give you full details on every step that will be taken and the expected outcome. Also, you can visit the Harley Street Dentist in Harley Street, London, to have your veneers fixed. Give us a call on 02071830903 to book an appointment.
The first step to take is to see a dentist who examines and checks your teeth. He or she takes photos and create a dental impression of your existing teeth. An X-ray of the mouth may be captured to examine the condition of the mouth.
The dentist will also examine the teeth for other oral problems such as gum disease which must be addressed before the start of treatment. When you are fully ready to take the procedure, your dentist prepares for the procedure which involves scraping off a thin layer of enamel from the teeth to produce the right size and height of teeth for your veneers to be fitted. Enamel removal may not be needed in some types of veneers —as there are no nerves in them. The process should not be a painful one —if you are frightened by this process, your dentist may administer an anaesthetic.
If you do not want all your teeth covered, you may need a dental cleaning and tooth whitening on the rest of the teeth before treatment commences. You will have to keep up with regular teeth whitening schedule so that the surrounding teeth will match the colour of veneers.
Composite veneers do not take time to be fitted; only one visit is enough to complete the process. Acid is used to roughen the surface of the tooth, which is lined with a bonding agent afterwards. The composite material is gradually formed to the required tooth shape and hardened using a special lamp. If you are satisfied with the colour of the veneer then it is further polished to look like your natural tooth.
The porcelain veneers are produced in the lab by the lab technician who crafts them into the perfect shape and size. This laboratory process takes time; it can take up to three weeks because each veneer is crafted individually in a laboratory.
The dentist files off a part of your enamel and takes a dental impression using putty to ensure the veneers are a perfect fit when produced. Temporary veneers might be given at this stage to protect the prepared teeth while waiting for the permanent one to be ready —you will have your next appointment once your porcelain veneers are ready. The dentist cleans out your teeth again and roughens the surface of the teeth and veneers with an acid after which a strong dental adhesive is used to secure the caps in place.
Veneer fitting for teeth is an art that can take 1- 2 hours depending on the number of teeth being treated. This may be done under general anaesthetic because it may be difficult for the patient to stay still for so long while they are awake. It is ideal for a rubber dam to be used to isolate the tooth being worked on to keep the surface dry so that any moisture will not interfere with the bonding agent.
The outcome of veneers is quite astounding; it can completely transform your smile. Veneers are a smile makeover procedure; your dentist needs to take before and after photos to know how the treatment has transformed your smile. When you visit the dentist for a consultation, you should ask for before and after pictures of their previous patients to know the quality of their work and enable you to know what to expect.
There are two main types of veneer: composite and porcelain. The two main types and the fitting process have been well described above. However, to decide which is most suitable for you, here are other things you may want to put into consideration.
Composite veneers are cheaper than porcelain, but they are not as aesthetically appealing as porcelain. They do not last that long as you will expect; it usually can stay up to 5 years after which the material will start to chip away or stain.
Since composite veneers do not last long and are not always expensive, they can be useful as an alternative while saving up for porcelain. This may be referred to as temporary veneers even if it wears out after several months or years. Composite veneers may be fitted without removing any enamel from the healthy tooth; this may be needed when the patient wants to fix a tooth that is too short or small. One of the pros of this treatment is that it can be reversed. The outcome of this treatment depends on the skills of the dentist; you must check his or her previous work to know how skilful he or she is before going ahead with the treatment.
The porcelain veneer is the most durable type of tooth veneer. It is made from porcelain or ceramic material which is usually expected to last up to 20 years. Using zirconia porcelain veneers is ideal for slightly damaged teeth.
The Porcelain is made from materials that are in close resemblance with the natural teeth, and they are stain-resistant. The fact that they are made by the hand in a laboratory; notwithstanding, the dentist must be skilled to place each piece correctly.
The main disadvantage of porcelain is that it is very costly; it costs at least double of a composite. The fact that the enamel will be removed from a healthy tooth gets some people worried, thinking they will be committed to a lifetime of veneers or some other teeth covering.
The table below summarises the distinction between composite and porcelain veneers for treatment teeth:
| Composite | Porcelain |
---|---|---|
Cost per tooth | £100 – £400 | £400 – 1,000 |
Number of appointment | Just an appointment | Two or three appointments |
Longevity | Up to five years | Up to twenty years |
Appearance | Slightly natural but may be prone to stains | Look exactly natural, and there is no staining |
Damages to existing teeth | filling and enamel removal may be needed | Filling and enamel removal is highly needed except for Lumineers |
There are quite some brands of veneer with amazing benefits from which you could choose —they include:
These brands of veneers have an ultra-thin design that makes them able to improve the cosmetic appearance of your existing teeth without filing off the enamel. They are more expensive, and they can last up to 20 years after which they can be removed without any permanent damage done to the teeth. You will need to visit the dentist up to two times for this treatment to be completed.
A precise cut makes this brand of veneers through an advanced computer technology from the scan of the patient’s mouth. It does not take time; you can have your custom-made teeth in just one visit. They may not be as natural as the ones made in the lab. The computer equipment is costly, which makes this procedure more expensive than standard porcelain.
You must consider the cost of veneer before choosing veneer treatment. If it is what you can afford, you should search for the right dentist with significant experience in this cosmetic procedure.
The dentist should be able to recommend the best option for you, but in case you can not afford it, ask for alternatives —how long they will last, and what happens when they fail.
The table above shows that composite veneers cost about £100 – £400 while porcelain veneers cost about £400 – £1,000 The actual price may be costlier because the total cost of your treatment will depend on the problem you want to correct.
Your private health insurance may cover some of your cosmetic treatments; you should check to find out the ones it can cover —some base-level plans may not be included, but more expensive plans might be written off at least some of the cost of treatment. Other dental financing options, such as loan or credit card.
You can also get a cheaper veneer treatment if you travel abroad to a country where cosmetic dentistry is more affordable. Hungary and Poland are good examples —these two countries provide high-quality medical care at prices much lower than private care in the UK.
The Harley Street Dentist offer affordable veneer treatment in London. Why travel abroad to save the cost of treatment when you can get your treatment affordably here in London? Visit us today on Harley Street, London or call us on 02071830903 to book an appointment.
Your gums may be slightly injured during the fitting procedure, which might leave sore for a few days. When your gums are healed, you can have your routine oral care. Your veneers have been firmly fitted; you need not worry about losing them while brushing or flossing.
Your dentist will recommend you follow these tips below to maintain your new smile:
Adequate care of your teeth is a must; you must not neglect your oral hygiene if you are to maintain a fantastic new smile.
Having a veneer treatment is an opportunity to take better care of your teeth than before. Your oral care determines the life span of your teeth veneers.
Conclusively, a dental veneer is one of the options to consider if you want to improve the aesthetic appearance of your smile. You can either opt-in for composite or porcelain veneers depending on your budget, desired result or period of treatment if you consider veneer treatment. You should be mindful of the option of veneer you choose because your teeth may not go back to their original state afterwards since some types of veneers require some of the tooth enamel removed.
If you need an experienced dentist, then contact The Harley Street Dentist on 02071830903 to book an appointment, or you can visit us at Harley Street, London.
Contact us today to
book an appointment
Lower ground, 117A Harley St, Marylebone, London W1G 6AT , UK
Call us today!
We have a team of dentists in Harley Street who are dedicate to offering comprehensive dentistry and private dental care of the highest quality to meet your specific requirements.
© 2024 theharleystreetdentist.co.uk. All rights reserved
Book Appointment