The 23^rd of April is not just St. George’s day, it also the birthday (and confirmed day of death) of one William Shakespeare: Arguably the greatest writer in the English language and the bane of many a student’s schooldays. Whether you decide to spend the day reciting King Lear among friends or, more likely, laughing with them at the pub, you will be using that mouth quite a bit, and it’s quite hard to feel “St. George inspire us with the spleen of fiery dragons” when you’re feeling self-conscious about your smile…

What are dental veneers?

Often viewed as the mouth’s equivalent of false nails, dental veneers are wafer thin shells of material, which are bonded to the front of the teeth and can offer a considerable amount of cosmetic relief for people suffering with certain aesthetic ailments, such as: Broken or damaged teeth, gaps between teeth and, to an extent, crooked teeth. Veneers come in two forms:  Porcelain and composite. Composite veneers are cheaper than their porcelain counterparts, but Porcelain veneers are more effective in every other respect and can last five or even ten times longer than composites, meaning they often work out cheaper in the long run.

Procedural info

The success of porcelain veneers has led to a popular idea of ‘swish walk-in dental clinics’ providing a perfect pearly white smile in the span of a lunchtime break. Although a few clinics have invested in ‘CEREC’ technology which allows for such swift production, most procedures will require at least two visits. A typical procedure would require an initial consultation followed by a mild reshaping your teeth in preparation for the veneers (a small amount would be shaved off, but just enough to accommodate the veneers). A mould would then be taken of your teeth which would be used to produce the veneers. These would then be fitted at a subsequent session.

Consultation

There are many different brands of veneer, so, if you’re interested, book an appointment and we can start work on a dental treatment plan for you.

Dental veneers are wafer thin shells of material that are bonded to the front of the teeth and can offer a considerable amount of cosmetic relief for people in Liverpool suffering with certain aesthetic ailments, such as:

• Cracked or fractured teeth.
• Gaps between teeth.
• Crooked teeth.

Porcelain or Composite?

Veneers tend to come in two forms – porcelain and composite. Composite veneers are cheaper than their porcelain counterparts and, when used on small chips, can preserve more of your natural tooth structure. Porcelain veneers on the other hand are stronger, more natural looking and can last up to five or even ten times longer than composites. Despite the initial price gap, porcelain veneers can work out much, much cheaper in the long run.

A typical procedure requires an initial consultation followed by a mild reshaping of the patient’s teeth in preparation for the veneers (a small amount of tooth will be shaved off, but just enough to accommodate the veneers). A mould is then taken of the teeth, which is sent to a dental laboratory and used to produce the veneers. Your beautiful new veneers will then be fitted at a subsequent session using strong dental glue and cured with a special light to enhance the bonding process.

There are also a number of advanced porcelain veneers products now available, which use different techniques to produce a higher level of aesthetics, strength and durability. Some of these veneer products include:

• DaVinci Veneers
• MAC Veneers
• Lumineers

If taken good care of porcelain veneers can last for many, many years and are a great deal more stain resistant than their composite counterpart. For patients who dislike their smile and are looking for a fast, yet effective cosmetic treatment porcelain veneers could be the answer to their problems.