The Art and Science of Ceramic Veneers

Every case is decided on merit and after a thorough clinical evaluation, discussing each clients needs and wants we put forward what would be ideal and clinically possible for that case. Whether or not porcelain veneers are a good treatment choice for you depends on many factors such as age, condition of your existing teeth, crowding, spacing, colour and finally time and expense of the treatment we are willing to undertake. We lay emphasis on having an overall existing and healthy condition of oral health. If your existing condition of oral health is unstable or unhealthy, we would not advise you to proceed with any cosmetic treatment till that is addressed and stabilized.

No. The advantage of ultra-thin porcelain veneers are that they usually require little to no shaving off of your existing healthy tooth structure. The amount that might need to be polished, depends on a case-to-case basis and is usually only on the facial or front facing surface of the teeth. This is done in a calibrated manner utilizing latest techniques and protocols of minimally invasive dentistry. As opposed to crowns/ turkey teeth, that require the tooth to be ground down to stumps that are highly invasive and weaken the tooth.

Yes. Once bonded to the tooth, porcelain veneers are permanently stuck and will not come out on their own. They can be taken out professionally and replaced in case of damage but require a lot of skill and time.

Porcelain veneers used in a smile makeover are ultra-thin customized shells of porcelain made outside the mouth in a specialized laboratory by a master ceramists bonded onto your existing teeth. These shells are made by a master ceramist to give us the desired shape, shade, color and texture. Composite bonding is done free hand by the dentist directly onto your teeth. Depending on the patient’s requirement and dentists’ skill, this can achieve a certain desired result. However over time the colour stability, appearance and aging properties of ceramic veneers is far superior (12-15 years) compared to composite bonding (5-7 years). Many times, we use a combination of porcelain veneers and composite bonding to help enhance the smile.

Since the procedure requires little to no shaving of tooth structure, the entire process is relatively pain free under traditional local anaesthesia. There is sometimes some minor post procedure transient discomfort and/or sensitivity which usually settles within a few days.

Porcelain veneers used for smile makeovers once bonded onto the teeth are extremely strong and durable. You are required to care for them just like your natural teeth such as regular checks, flossing, home care hygiene and professional’ hygiene appointments. We usually advise patients to wear a soft night guard after getting porcelain veneers as a precaution.

As with any permanent medical / cosmetic procedure there are advantages but although rare, some risks involved. Risks are those associated with general dentistry such as reactions to Local anesthetic, materials etc. Getting a smile makeover with porcelain veneers might lead to some post operative sensitivity in some cases. But this is usually temporary and transient and settles over sometime. In extremely rare cases of continued sensitivity, we advise a root canal which can be carried out without damage to the veneer.

Once the veneers are permanently bonded onto your teeth, then taking them off requires a lot of effort, time and skill. Hence the biggest risk associated with porcelain veneers is not being happy with them after they are fitted. That is why we use simulations, temporary smile test drives and trials to help you understand what your smile will look like and only cement your final veneers once we are 100% sure the final result is approved by you.

Porcelain Veneers Dentist London – Once bonded correctly onto your tooth, porcelain veneers are extremely strong. You have to care for them just like your natural teeth. You will have no diet restrictions after the veneers are permanently bonded.

The entire smile makeover journey with porcelain veneers takes 3-4 sessions spaced out between 2-3 weeks. In some cases, it can take even less time. We begin with a consultation and clinical photography record session. Following this we call you back to discuss the simulation / mock ups and number of teeth we need to work on. We may also provide you with a temporary ‘test drive” smile at this point before you commit to embark on the makeover. This is followed by the main session where we make measurements for the veneers and give you a temporary “test drive” smile similar to what we are aiming to achieve while your final ceramic veneers are being fabricated by our master ceramists. We have the chance to fine tune any shapes and appearance of the test drive smile based on your feedback and that can be incorporated into the final porcelain veneers. The veneers take 2 weeks to get fabricated and once we receive them, we do a final trial with photos and on approval they are permanently bonded onto the teeth. At every stage we work closely with you, take photos and videos to help us understand, fine tune and achieve the ideal results.

General care like flossing, good oral hygiene habits, and regular checkups and hygiene appointments with the hygienist will help maintain and keep the veneers and gums safe and healthy.