Specialisations
Veneers
A veneer (or facing) is a shield applied to the front of your tooth. There are various possible reasons for choosing veneers. Examples include:
- Masking misalignment of one or more teeth
- Masking an abnormal shape of one or more teeth
- Treating worn front teeth
- Masking an abnormal colour of one or more teeth after whitening has not been sufficiently effective
What does the treatment involve?
Veneers can be applied in composite or porcelain.
Composite veneers are applied to your teeth directly in the chair. We use a good filling material that can be polished. Advantages are that it is cost-effective and easier to modify in the future than porcelain veneers. One drawback is that it can be more difficult to achieve a natural shape and colour than with porcelain veneers. The treatment is quite similar to making a ‘regular’ filling.
Porcelain veneers are made in the lab after preparing the front teeth by removing a layer of its outer surface. It is quite similar to making a regular crown (see also crown and bridgework tab). The stages to be completed are the same; preparation and impression, then placement of the veneer(s) 2 to 3 weeks later. In the meantime, you have temporary veneers attached using temporary cement. Advantages are that it is easier to achieve top-level shape and colour, and porcelain is very colour fast and always has high gloss. The disadvantage is that a porcelain veneer is more costly (similar to a regular crown) than a composite veneer.
For highly aesthetic cases, you may choose to have a set made up in the dental lab beforehand. The end goal is then predetermined and the work to be done is more predictable.
