Aesthetic veneers are thin sheets of porcelain, which are placed on the teeth to solve problems such as severe staining, diastemas (separated teeth), small misalignments, and in general to achieve an improvement in the aesthetics of the smile.
There are different types of veneers, depending on the material and technique used, and each one has its own indication. Generally speaking, we can speak of composite veneers and porcelain veneers.
Composite veneers can be made directly on the tooth, without the need of elaboration processes in the prosthetic laboratory. The advantage of this type of veneers is the immediacy when placing them, as well as a lower cost than porcelain veneers, but as a disadvantage they have a shorter duration, since over time they tend to change color, producing stains that may require replacement after a few years.
Porcelain veneers, on the other hand, require the participation of a prosthetic laboratory, the price of these dental veneers is higher, but the results are much more durable.
Lumineers® veneers
Nowadays, there is a tendency to use very conservative techniques, that is to say, we try to grind the tooth as little as possible, and in many cases we even try not to touch the tooth at all. This is achieved with high-strength ceramics that allow us to produce very thin porcelain veneers, with thicknesses that were unthinkable years ago. Lumineers® veneers meet these characteristics, so we achieve optimal aesthetics without the need for aggressive dental carving, which makes the whole process painless and comfortable for the patient.
Lumineers® veneers are custom-made in the USA, with Cerinate® porcelain, only by a certified laboratory, and can only be placed by a Dental Professional certified in the technique.
Other aesthetic veneer alternatives
As an alternative to Lumineers® veneers, we have feldspathic porcelain veneers, which achieve very good esthetics, but their thickness and their layered processing technique require significant dental carving. Another alternative is lithium disilicate veneers, which also achieve good esthetics with minimal tooth grinding. Whether veneers are the right treatment and the type of veneers that are indicated for each patient should be carefully evaluated by a qualified professional and agreed with the patient, taking into account the individual characteristics of each case.