Porcelain veneers: a beautiful and attractive smile
To improve the appearance of the teeth and correct any damage they have suffered, patients have at their disposal porcelain veneers or dental contact lenses, which are thin sheets of porcelain, customized for the patient and bonded to the front of the front teeth. They are able to change the aesthetics of the smile.
With this procedure, your smile can look more beautiful and your self-esteem can also benefit. Porcelain veneers can solve a variety of aesthetic problems in the teeth, such as stains and discoloration, chips, enamel wear, small fractures, closing gaps between teeth (diastemas), enlarging small teeth, changing the shape of teeth, among others.
What is the difference between a contact lens and a veneer?
Basically, the differences between dental lenses and veneers are their thickness, the material used and the preparation technique.
Porcelain veneers
In the porcelain veneer technique, the dentist needs to:
- Wear away a LARGER amount of the tooth enamel (approximately 1mm).
- SILICONE molds and impression trays are made. While the permanent veneers are being prepared, the patient wears the temporary veneers.
- The material used is generally common feldspathic porcelain, made using a handmade technique (more fragile).
The purpose of wearing down the teeth is to make room for the porcelain veneer and increase its thickness. Without wear, the teeth would be overcontoured, or have too much volume. In addition, the porcelain veneer might not fit so perfectly on the tooth.
Dental contact lenses
In the contact lens technique, the dentist needs to:
- Wear away a LESSER amount of the tooth enamel (approximately 0.3mm).
- Molds are made with an INTRA ORAL SCANNER. While the permanent veneers are being prepared, the patient wears temporary lenses or a mockup. Sometimes it is not necessary to use temporary lenses because the wear does not affect the aesthetics.
- The material used is generally porcelain MADE ON A COMPUTERIZED MILL (more resistant and precise).
Like any restoration, porcelain veneers need to be properly cared for and periodically reassessed. Patients should also maintain the hygiene of the tooth surfaces. We now also make ultra-thin porcelain veneers, which are dental contact lenses. The application of dental lenses requires little or no wear to the tooth structure. Find out more by clicking here.
ImplArt Dental Technology
Not only porcelain veneers, but also dental contact lenses are custom-designed on a computer and executed on 3D printers. Computerized methods allow for greater precision and speed in the workflow in our in-house laboratory.
If you have any questions, then don’t hesitate to contact us through one of the channels below or make an appointment. We’ll be happy to help you.
