Veneer types, material quality and longevity: What experts recommend

Medical

Previously, only movie stars and popular musicians could boast of a brilliant smile with even white teeth. Times are changing! Today, thanks to dental veneers, anyone can significantly transform their appearance and achieve the smile of their dreams.

You will need to invest in veneers, but the result is worth it: you can become more attractive, rejuvenate your face, and achieve its ideal proportions. In addition, on the way to a total transformation, you will not have to endure discomfort, unpleasant sensations, and then get used to new teeth.

Today, high-quality and aesthetically pleasing veneers can be installed in top-notch dental clinics in Turkey. But what material to choose? Let’s find out.

Material

The primary difference lies in the material used to make the overlays. This determines not only the appearance, but also the manufacturing method, cost, and service life.

Composites

This is a polymer composition that hardens when exposed to light. Composites are used to fill carious cavities for therapeutic purposes and as dental overlays for aesthetic purposes. 

The material is inexpensive, and installation occurs directly in the dentist’s chair. The service life of such restorations is typically short, ranging from 5 to 7 years. Composites tend to absorb pigments and become covered with micropores. Therefore, they need to be polished regularly, and also regularly replaced with new ones. The cost of such veneers starts from £100.

Porcelain

Porcelain veneers are a “classic of the genre” made from regular ceramics: strong, reliable, durable, aesthetic. The best option for the “price + quality” formula. To learn more about porcelain veneers in Turkey, please visit this link. The cost of such veneers starts from £140.

E-max ceramics

Lithium disilicate-based glass ceramics have high aesthetic properties. The term “E-max ceramics” combines several types of plates at once:

  • E-max aesthetic veneers (feldspar ceramics);
  • E-max Press pressed ceramic products;
  • E-max CAD solid block plates;

Ceramics do not irritate mucous membranes, do not absorb pigments, do not crack, and only chip off due to patient carelessness. They last up to 15 years and maintain their absolutely natural appearance throughout this time. The cost of such veneers starts from £235.

Zirconium

Zirconium dioxide is a lightweight and durable material. Unfortunately, it is very smooth, and it is difficult to achieve strong long-term adhesion to enamel. However, if this is achieved, then zirconium overlays are the most durable veneers to date. However, due to problems with fixation, the answer to the question “Veneers: zirconium or ceramics, which is better?” is unambiguous. Ceramics win in aesthetics, strength of fixation, and ease of installation.

Lumineers

This is the name of the plates that are made in only one place: in the Den-Mat laboratory in the USA. Lumineers is a patented name for products made from super-strong ceramics, Cerinate. Restorations made in any other place are not lumineers.

The main advantage of lumineers is that they are very thin. These are practically weightless plates that require minimal preparation. However, there are also disadvantages. Pigment spots shine through the thin overlay, and it is difficult to correct the shape with them.

Pros and cons of ceramic veneers

Ceramic veneers are manufactured in a dental laboratory using either e.max technology, which involves glass ceramics, or the traditional manual method with feldspar ceramics. Glass ceramic veneers can be produced by hot pressing (e.max press) or from a solid block on a milling machine with numerical control using e.max CAD technology.

The traditional method involves layer-by-layer application of ceramic mass on a refractory plaster model. This process is very labor-intensive, time-consuming, and requires high qualifications. Ceramic veneers are most often used to correct minor defects and chips on the front teeth, as well as to improve their shape and position.

The advantages of ceramic veneers are:

  • Resistance to dyes, due to the smooth and impermeable surface of the material
  • Sufficient strength and durability, resistance to abrasion and wear
  • High aesthetic characteristics, almost identical to natural teeth
  • A wide range of shades, allowing you to choose a shade that matches the shade of the patient’s teeth
  • Inertness and biocompatibility

The primary disadvantage of ceramic structures is their fragility and tendency to crack and chip, particularly when microprostheses are not manufactured with sufficient precision.

The veneer installation process

The choice of material is only the beginning of the journey to a perfect smile. The process of installing veneers on teeth — be it ceramic veneers or lumineers — is carried out in stages and requires precision at every step.

  • Initial consultation and diagnostics.
  • The dentist examines the teeth, determines the indications and contraindications for installing veneers, and takes photos and X-rays.
  • Planning and agreeing on the future smile.
  • A digital model (mock-up) is created — the future appearance of the teeth is modeled directly in the mouth using temporary overlays. The patient sees the result in advance.
  • Preparing the teeth.
  • If a classic or zirconium veneer is selected, the dentist minimally processes (grinds down) the upper layer of enamel for a perfect fit of the overlay. Sometimes this stage is not required (for example, when installing lumineers).
  • Taking impressions.
  • The dentist takes impressions or performs 3D scanning to obtain the most accurate copy of the dentition.
  • Manufacturing veneers in the laboratory.
  • The technician creates custom-made veneers. At this stage, the accuracy of color, shape, and thickness is especially important.
  • Temporary fixation.
  • While the technician makes permanent veneers, the doctor installs temporary overlays to protect the prepared teeth.
  • The final fixation of veneers on the teeth (or dental veneers) is done after fitting and correction.
  • The dentist tries on the finished overlays, corrects them if necessary, and then secures them in place with special cement.

Veneers should only be installed by a certified specialist, using high-quality materials and modern technologies.

What’s the material best suited for prosthetics?

Both ceramics and zirconium dioxide are optimal materials for making veneers. The material best suited for prosthetics depends on the specific clinical situation. Depending on it, the orthopedic dentist will offer the best solution to the patient.