What are dental veneers?
A veneer is a very thin layer (between 0.5-0.8 mm) of a material that is adhered to the front side of a tooth and that allows to improve its shape, modify its size, position or color.
Veneers require minimal preparation of the tooth (very little or sometimes no tooth is removed) and give a fantastic esthetic result, so they are being widely used today to improve the smile in cases with dental problems of color, size, etc. They are attached to the tooth and the bond is durable and reliable, so that the patient can perform a completely normal function, as if it were their natural tooth.
What are composite veneers and do they have any advantage over other types of veneers?
There are different types of veneers depending on the material they are made of and who and where they are manufactured. Basically, two materials can be used:
- Composite (the material from which white fillings are made).
- Ceramics
We can also differentiate between direct and indirect, depending on whether they are made by the dentist in the office (direct composite veneers) or by the prosthetist in the laboratory after the dentist prepares the tooth, takes measurements and sends them to the technician (indirect composite or ceramic veneers).
Composite veneers are usually done directly, in the clinic. The procedure is laborious if you want the tooth to finally look natural. Not just one material is placed, but composites of various colors and translucencies are used to reproduce the shape and appearance of the tooth. This type of veneers has the advantage that they do not require a laboratory for their execution.
There are several types of ceramic materials; the most commonly used for the preparation of veneers are lithium disilicate and feldspathic ceramics. They are different materials; each one has its own indications and it is the dentist who, after analyzing the characteristics and the problems to be solved in each case, chooses the most suitable one. Both types of ceramic have an excellent clinical behavior because, despite the small thickness of the veneer, when adhered to the tooth, both become one and can function perfectly for years. The appearance of the natural tooth is really achieved.
What are the most requested dental esthetic treatments at the Clínica Rosa Pulgar?
At the clinic we perform all types of treatments. We treat the patient comprehensively. It is important to point out that esthetic treatments can only be performed when the mouth is healthy, that is, health problems affecting the tooth (cavities, erosions, abrasions, nerve problems, etc), gums (gingivitis or periodontitis) or other oral structures have been previously treated and resolved.
Once the mouth is in good health, we plan aesthetic treatments. The elements that make up the smile are lips, gums and teeth. Well, we act, if necessary, at these three levels.
- On the tooth, we perform teeth whitening techniques, veneers or ceramic caps. We replace missing teeth with implants. We can transform short or dark teeth into perfect white teeth.
- On the gum, it is important that, in addition to health, we achieve symmetry and that they are with an adequate height and shape.
- Once gums and teeth have been treated and reconstructed, we can also treat the lips. Profiling and defining their contour, giving them volume or attenuating that unsightly “bar code” that is so disfiguring and aging, completely transforms a smile.
Therefore, the treatment must be comprehensive, of all the elements as a whole. But if we had to highlight a “star” treatment, I would highlight:
- Tooth whitening
- Aesthetic veneers
- Lip treatments
Teeth whitening is a fantastic treatment because just by changing the color of the teeth to a whiter shade, it is impressive how it rejuvenates a smile. Nowadays, whitening protocols are safe and effective techniques. We whiten teeth with virtually no side effects such as tooth sensitivity or gum irritation. We achieve spectacular color changes by applying protocols of medium/low concentrations so that the tooth whitens little by little but without the patient suffering from recalcitrance or similar. The tooth takes time to whiten. It is necessary to apply several sessions to achieve optimum results. One whitening session is useless and, in addition, it is frequent that if the application of the whitening agent is not prolonged for a long time, with only one application the tooth returns to its original color. Whitening works, but it must be done well to achieve optimal results.
As far as lip treatments are concerned, they are increasingly used. As everyone knows you can shape or plump the lips with hyaluronic acid. Many people have a negative image of these techniques because they have seen lips with poorly done fillers. When treating a lip there are three aspects that are fundamental:
- First of all, the product to be injected must be of the highest quality and must be very plastic so that it adapts to lip movement.
- Secondly, the facial and oral context must be analyzed very well. The lips must be harmonious with the rest of the face, with the teeth and gums.
- Finally, the lip anatomy must be respected. Each person’s lips have a predefined shape. The aim is to enhance the natural shape to make it more attractive, not to simply increase the volume.
In addition, we usually perform the treatment in two phases: it is always preferable to stay short, since we can then increase a little more if the patient wishes, than to overdo it. There is no problem. It is essential that when the patient looks in the mirror she sees herself …. But better!
Another type of lip treatment that people do not usually know about is lip repositioning. Many people have beautiful teeth, healthy and balanced gums but, when smiling, they show a lot of gum. This spoils the smile because for it to be beautiful, the upper lip should be placed touching the gum of the upper teeth. If it goes higher, the gum is visible and it looks ugly. Well, many times the problem is that the upper lip is short or, being normal, it is hyperactive, that is to say, the muscles raise it excessively when smiling, which allows the gum to show too much. In these situations, by means of a simple surgical technique we can modify the course of the lip, so that when the patient smiles it is lower and only the teeth are visible. This completely transforms the patient’s smile making it much more beautiful.