The most common kind of dental injuries occur from head traumas, often from playing sports or car accidents, when teeth are cracked, chipped or broken. In these circumstances the dentist will first attempt to mend the tooth using composite dental bonding made form tooth coloured resin. In some case however, the tooth is so badly damaged that bonding alone is not enough to preserve its integrity. In these cases the dentist will need to cap the tooth with a veneer to ensure that no further damage is possible and that the tooth can maintain its functionality.
Veneers are not just used for dental repairs and are more and more becoming the option of choice for cosmetic dental procedures. With the advances in dental technology, veneers are no longer the unrealistic, clunky artificial teeth they were in the past. Today’s incredibly thin translucent veneers resemble real teeth more than ever before and can be used to improve the appearance of several dental conditions.
Patients who suffer from worn down, discoloured or unevenly spaced teeth can have veneers fitted to restore the appearance of a bright, healthy and even looking smile.
Modern veneers are manufactured from porcelain using the very latest in computer
-aided technology. Dentists are able to construct a 3D image of the patient’s teeth on a computer using the latest digital x-rays and 3D imaging. Using this recreation, they can design veneers to remarkable degrees of accuracy. This has removed the need for uncomfortable and time-consuming dental moulds and x-rays. When satisfied with the results, the dentist can use the computer to manufacture the veneer using a milling device. A single piece of porcelain is milled to the exact specifications of the 3D replication. This can then be fitted into the patient’s teeth with minimal fuss. This whole process can take as little as two hours, which is a vast improvement on the old manufacturing process which could take weeks.
Modern porcelain veneers are very thin, some as thin as a contact lens, which means only minimal enamel removal is needed in order to fit them. In fact some veneers are so thin they can be placed over existing dental work with minimal preparation of the tooth.
Porcelain veneers are a strong, versatile and lifelike substitute for real teeth that if properly cared for can last as much as ten years. If you are suffering from damaged teeth, or could do with your discoloured teeth being brightened, ask a Toxteth dentist about porcelain veneers.
Tags: broken teeth, chipped tooth, dental bonding, porcelain veneers