Installation of veneers and lumineers

Dental veneers can be made of: 

• Ceramic - most commonly used is feldspathic ceramic 
• Glass-ceramic - ceramics reinforced with additives, which provides greater strength
• E.max - lithium disilicate 
• Zirconia - zirconium dioxide
• Composite - photopolymer materials

Are made by either firing ceramic material or milling them from ceramic blocks and then applying dyes and glaze. At iStomatolog, digital methods are used to create ceramic veneers. After scanning the teeth, the veneers are modeled in a special program, and then a milling machine cuts the ceramic veneer from special blocks.

Multi-layered feldspathic ceramic blocks from German manufacturers such as Vita, Ivoclar, and Cerec are used to ensure the most natural-looking and closest match to natural tooth tissue.

Veneers cannot be categorized as ceramics since the material is not ceramic, but it combines the aesthetics of ceramics and the strength of zirconia. E.max veneers can be made in two ways: pressing and milling. When pressed, the dental technician typically models the veneer from wax, which is then made by melting the E.max blank under high temperature and pressure.

When milled, the veneer is cut from an E.max block, and then the finished work is crystallized in a high-temperature oven under pressure. We use the digital milling method to create veneers from E.max blanks because it is the most accurate and allows for an ideal match to the tooth's surface.

The downside of E.max veneers is their high cost, as the patented technology for this material is owned by the German company Ivoclar. There are over six different levels of transparency for E.max, in addition to a wide range of colors. There are no alternatives to this material, and the originality of the milling blocks is confirmed by a hologram sticker attached to the patient's chart.

Are made by milling blanks and then sintering them in a special oven. Zirconia is highly durable but falls short of ceramics and E.max in terms of aesthetics.

Many dental material manufacturers produce zirconium dioxide, so there are both cheap and expensive zirconia veneers on the market, with differences in the variety of transparency levels and color nuances of the zirconia blank.

Glass ceramics are ceramics that contain particles of another material. For example, ceramics reinforced with crystals of zirconium dioxide. We use glass ceramic blocks from German manufacturers Vita and Cerec for milling. Glass ceramics have proven to be an excellent material for making crowns for the lateral group of teeth, but they lack the "naturalness" for ultra-thin veneers and lumineers.

Composite veneers are not veneers at all. It is a restoration of a tooth with a photopolymer material directly in the patient's oral cavity in one visit.

When the material covers the entire front surface of the tooth, it is called "composite veneers". With this method, it is also possible to make slight changes in the shape, size, and color of the tooth, but aesthetically, this work always lags behind ceramic veneers.

It is impossible to drastically change the color, shape, or size of teeth. The advantages of composite veneers are their low cost, the possibility of making and repairing them with any photopolymer material.

Quality veneers have several undeniable advantages:

• they do not change color - ceramics, glass ceramics, and zirconia do not absorb food dyes, are not affected by excessive tea and coffee consumption, and do not yellow from nicotine;
• teeth can be gently prepared, and ultra-thin veneers can be installed with minimal tooth preparation;
• for minor defects in tooth position, the problem of a beautiful smile can be solved faster with veneers (orthodontic treatment takes at least 8 months, while making veneers "turnkey" takes about 1 month);
• tooth shape and color can be changed without installing crowns.

The main disadvantages of veneers and lumineers are:

• high cost;
• the need for even minimal tooth surface preparation;
• if part of the construction breaks off, it cannot be repaired, and a new prosthesis will be required;
• strict limitations on consuming hard and tough food (for example, it is strongly not recommended to bite into a whole apple, it should be cut);
• careful monitoring of dental hygiene and the condition of the teeth (caries does not appear directly under the veneer, but it is possible to develop decay on uncovered surfaces of the tooth);
• if you want to whiten your teeth, remember that veneers cannot be whitened; the decision to change the color of the teeth must be made before installing veneers or be prepared to replace the prostheses with lighter ones.

Complications after installing veneers are rare. The most common ones are:

• increased tooth sensitivity with veneers;

• pain and bleeding of the gums;

• discomfort when closing the mouth, chewing and biting food;

• pain in the joint;

• other complications.

Most complications are related to excessive grinding of the tooth under the ceramic overlay, the overhanging edge of the veneer that traumatizes the gum and causes inflammation, the incorrect shape and size of the ceramic overlays that can lead to overload of individual teeth, excessive tension of the chewing muscles, and pain in the joint.

Most complications are easily resolved with timely dental treatment. Often, it is sufficient to polish the edge of the veneer or cement near the gum to eliminate bleeding and painful gums. Grinding the length or protruding corner of the ceramic overlay in a pinpoint manner makes the teeth comfortable to close.

Wearing temporary veneers and using special cement to attach permanent veneers allows, in most cases, to avoid increased tooth sensitivity. If you still encounter such a problem, it is necessary to follow the doctor's recommendations, and then increased sensitivity will go away on its own within 7-10 days.

The service life of veneers themselves is unlimited because ceramic does not change color, shape or shine over time. However, unfortunately, teeth are susceptible to decay, at a minimum. In addition, gum disease and age-related changes in jawbone also adversely affect the appearance of teeth.

Taking into account all the nuances, it can be said that with careful home hygiene, regular prevention of caries and gum disease, the average service life of high-quality ceramic veneers ranges from 7 to 10 years.