Dental veneers, or laminates, come in different types and are made differently. At the same time, depending on the situation, a certain type of dental veneer may be more appropriate for you.

Porcelain Veneers

Made with porcelain, this type of laminate is the strongest of all three forms. In fact, for as long as you take care of your dental hygiene properly and be careful with your diet, then it’s possible for your porcelain veneers to last up to ten years.

Porcelain has two properties which make them perfect for use as veneers. The first property is that porcelain is translucent, just like enamel is. Unlike other dental materials used which have solid colors and prevent the entrance of light, porcelain is translucent and allows light to go through making it resemble natural teeth. Secondly, porcelain has a glass-like surface which prevents the entrance of staining substances preserving the natural color of the veneer.

Porcelain veneers are rather pricey so they are often reserved for treating extensive dental damages such as when your tooth is severely fractured or if there is extensive discoloration which goes deeper than the enamel layer.

Composite Veneers

Known also as direct veneers because they are directly placed on the tooth, composite veneers are less expensive than porcelain veneers but only have a lifetime of one to two years. This means that they are best used for treating mild dental conditions such as when you have minor chips or very small cavities. The main advantage of composite veneers is that they do not require the prepping of the tooth, which can cause significant and irreversible damage to the enamel layer. And because the composite material is sculpted on your tooth, the procedure only requires one visit to the dentist. However, the skill of your dentist will determine, largely, the quality of your direct veneers.

CEREC® Veneers

While this technology isn’t available in all dental clinics yet, CEREC® veneers is a revolutionary new method of creating ceramic veneer in just a matter of minutes. This is accomplished by taking digital images of your teeth and sending them to a computer wherein your dentist can create the model of your veneer. Once done, an attached milling machine can immediately craft the veneer which can take just a couple of minutes. This enables your dentist to attach the ceramic veneer within that same day, dramatically shortening the treatment period.

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