If you don't like the color, shape, size, or general look of your teeth, laminate veneers can help. These veneers are attached only to the front surface of your teeth, so they don't damage the natural structure of your The treatment also affects the appearance of the jaw, face, and lips due to the dramatic shift it brings about in the structure of the patient's jaw and smile. Laminate veneers can be applied to a single tooth, many teeth simultaneously, or even every tooth in a complex smile design.

What Makes Laminate Veneers Last Longer

Accuracy of Measurements:

Laminate veneers' longevity is directly proportional to how well they adhere to the enamel layer, which must be satisfied for the treatment to be successful. Incorrect measurements increase the likelihood that the veneer will not adhere correctly to the tooth and may even fall off.

Optimum Level of Tooth Size:

Tooth lengthening above the ideal level for cosmetic reasons may compromise strength. When patients want longer teeth but still have a gummy grin, they might arrange for crown lengthening operations. Periodontists should be involved in these aesthetic treatments as well. By doing so, one can accomplish both aesthetically pleasing and functionally sound goals.

Oral Care Related Complications:

The patient's dental hygiene may lead to issues such as gum recession, caries, or impaction, which can influence the treatment's outcome. In such instances, the restoration of laminate veneers may require renewal.

Occlusion Changes:

In comprehensive smile designs, an individual's occlusion could change over time. These changes necessitate a reassessment of the treatment by the dentist.

Following extensive laminate veneer treatment, regular dental examinations are crucial due to alterations in the individual's occlusion.

Patient-Centered Care and Material Choices:

Treatment success is dependent on patient-centered care, accurate preparation procedures, and appropriate material selections. In 2023, a scientific investigation highlighted this fact.

One example is that the clinic should not merely submit still photographs to the laboratory and request a wax-up. Seeing the height of the smile and idealizing the planning from there is absolutely crucial. The clinic's in-house laboratory facilities and close collaboration with the laboratory technician are now critically vital for the treatment's success.

The main difference between laminate veneers and porcelain crowns is how much tooth tissue is removed. Laminate veneers require only minimal abrasion of the front surface of the tooth, whereas porcelain crowns require more material to be removed from the tooth. At the gum line, veneers give a more natural look and a more conservative approach.

Depending on the amount of teeth to be veneered, the application of laminate veneers might take either one day or a few days. The treatment procedure is as follows.

1. Examination and Planning: Following the patient's visit to the clinic, the dentist interviews the patient and assesses the patient's expectations and needs. The patient's precise expression of expectations during this interview phase is of the utmost importance.
2. Preperration: As a first step in preparation, the front surface of the teeth is abrasived around 0.3 to 0.4 mm. In order to keep the treatment as little intrusive as possible, the low abrasion requirement is crucial for laminate veneer treatments. Laminate veneers are attached to the tooth enamel, which makes the enamel thickness a factor in the veneers' strength.
3. Measurements: Accurate measurements are recorded and forwarded to the lab for analysis. Depending on the situation, digital or manual wax can be used to take intraoral measurements. The dentist will first use the 3D library to choose teeth and then position them on the patient's teeth before sending them to the lab.
4. Trial: Prosthetic veneers are practiced in the mouth throughout the trial process. Minor adjustments to the size, form, and color of the teeth are feasible during the rehearsal process. After the patient is satisfied with their teeth, permanent veneers are placed on top of the temporary ones.
5. Bonding: The veneers are then fixed with a special bonnding materials tothe teeth surface.

Laminate veneers, a minimally invasive treatment method, offer distinct benefits to patients based on their age and social status.

Aesthetic Appearance

Young Adults (18-35 years):

For this age group, laminate veneers are crucial for interacting socially and building self-confidence. By masking flaws in tooth color, form, and spacing, laminate veneers can restore a beautiful, healthy smile.

Middle-aged adults (36-55 years):

For middle-aged individuals, laminate veneers are an effective solution to address issues such as tooth wear and discoloration that are a result of aging.

Older Adults (55+ Age):

Over time, teeth may develop flaws in their structural integrity. The gums get thinner, the teeth become yellow from enamel thinning, the teeth become more spaced apart, and boluses can form between them. When it comes to treating such issues in older adults, laminate veneers are a minimally invasive option that works well.

Minimal Abrasion

Laminate veneers typically need about 3 to 4 mm of abrasion. This maintains the natural structure of the tooth beautifully. If there is a breakage in the veneers, a cluster, or a change in the mouth and jaw structure of the person, laminate veneers can be replaced while preserving the natural structure of the tooth.

Colour Stability

Porcelain laminate veneers are wonderfully resilient to external factors and have the ability to maintain their vibrant colour. For those who enjoy coffee or wine, laminate veneers offer a fantastic solution to maintain bright, white teeth for many years without worrying about discolouration.

Disadvantages

Microscopic Cracks

Laminate veneers are durable and long-lasting materials, and while it's true that after the 10th year, invisible microscopic cracks may occur, they still offer great value and performance over time. These cracks can lead to some interesting discolouration of the tooth, appearing as unique lines. In such a case, you have the opportunity to replace the laminate veneer with a new one!

A scientific article published in 1999 highlights that one of the key reasons for cracks in porcelain veneers is the frequent exposure of teeth to hot and cold foods. The patient's food habits significantly influence the formation of cracks. Nonetheless, the thickness of the bonding applied on the veneer and the thickness of the porcelain veneer play a significant role in crack formation.

Repair Difficulty

Damaged laminate veneers can turn irreparable. This entails removing the veneer, cleansing the bonding agent, and reiterating the same processes, which may cause discomfort for the patient.

Care and Habits

Maintaining your laminate veneers for as long as possible requires regular dental checkups and good oral hygiene. Particularly in older individuals, modest alterations to the veneers may be necessary due to changes in the shape of the mouth and jaw. Additionally, regular dental examinations are essential if you are planning a major smile makeover.

Aesthetic and Functional Limitations

Laminate veneers may not be the best option for certain teeth and dental issues. For laminate veneers, the person should have a sufficient enamel layer, should not have problems such as ongoing gingival recession, and should not have excessive crowding in the teeth that cannot be corrected with laminate veneers.

1. People with Tooth Colour Problems: Permanent discolouration that cannot be bleached away.
2. Excesive misalignments: Crooked or disproportionate teeth.
3. Tooth Spacing (Diastema): In case of the gaps between teeth laminate veneers may not close the gap.
4. Broken or worn teeth: Dişlerin yüzeyinde büyük çaplı kırıklar pulpanın kontamine olmasına neden olabilir. In this case, since the tooth will not be nourished, a crown needs to be placed.

Laminate veneer prices can range from quite affordable to quite expensive, depending on factors including the dentist's level of expertise, the material's quality, and the clinic's location. In the table below, you can see what one laminate veneer typically costs.

Under ideal conditions, such as minimal post-treatment bone loss, a patient's laminate veneers have the potential to endure for fifteen to twenty years. Because it is glued into enamel, laminate veneer has a highly strong construction similar to that of tile, despite its relatively thin structure (as we mentioned earlier). Nevertheless, the veneer's strength can be compromised by inaccurate measurements or extensions that are constructed with aesthetic concerns in mind but do not meet optimal standards. In the light of what science has shown;

In a 2019 scientific study, Rabia Arif covered 36 canine teeth, 41 lateral incisors, and 37 central incisors with porcelain veneers. The participants were 26 in number. The research found that the Kaplan-Meier success probability was 0.976 after 7 years and 0.882 after 14 years. Last but not least, the survival probabilities of 97.6% at 7 years and 88.2% at 14 years show that porcelain laminate veneers are quite successful and rarely fail.

Tips for Extending Veneer Durability

Oral Hygene: Laminate veneers require no special care beyond brushing and flossing twice a day, just as your natural teeth.

Regular Checkups: After getting laminate veneers, patients may notice changes to their bite, particularly in how they close their jaw. This can necessitate some minor veneer modifications. Therefore, even with a comprehensive smile design, you still need to make sure to visit the dentist regularly.

Habits: Laminate veneers are made of porcelain that is processed at high temperatures. For this reason, extreme hot and cold changes can cause the laminate to crack. Be careful not to eat anything very hot or too cold, like ice, after getting laminate veneers.

Laminated veneers are credited by many patients with a marked enhancement to the attractiveness of their smile. Images taken before and after the procedure demonstrate the treatment's efficacy.

Here are some answers to the most common questions people have about laminate veneers.

Do laminate veneers damage teeth?

Laminate veneers are dental materials affixed to tooth enamel. As they adhere by removing 0.3 to 0.4 mm from the tooth surface, they do not compromise the tooth's functionality. Once laminate veneers are put, it is impossible to revert the tooth to its original condition by removing the veneers. Nevertheless, you may persist in utilizing your teeth by affixing an additional veneer.

Is laminate veneer application painful?

Laminate veneers are readily and painlessly applied with local anesthesia. More importantly, the treatment does not include any manipulation of the nerves and does not involve any painful situations.

What is the lifespan of laminate veneers?

Laminated veneers have a potential lifespan of 10-15 years with the right maintenance. An accurate assessment of the patient's mouth and lip anatomy in accordance with the intended smile design, as well as precise measurements, are crucial for the placement of laminate veneers. Assuming they are sized and bonded correctly, laminate veneers should last for the duration promised by the manufacturer.

How to care for laminate veneers?

It is enough to just clean and floss your teeth regularly. When eating hard foods, be cautious and don't use an abrasive toothpaste.

Do coffee, tea and smoking affect laminate veneers?

Laminate veneers are resistant to liquids and meals that contain strong color pigments, such coffee and tea. Nevertheless, because porcelain is naturally fragile, tiny fractures may form if extremely hot and cold items are eaten at the same time, for example, after drinking something hot. After these fissures open up, the veneer will start to discolor.

Can laminate veneers be applied to everyone?

Unfortunately, laminate veneers are not suitable for everyone. To qualify for laminate veneers, the teeth must be free of significant caries, the roots should not be excessively exposed (as the enamel is thinner in these areas, potentially hindering veneer adhesion), and there should be no severe crowding that cannot be rectified with veneers. In all these and parallel instances, crowns are utilized as an alternative to veneers.

What should I do if the laminate veneer falls off?

If the veneer falls off, it is possible to have a new one. Nonetheless, the explanation for the fall should be clearly understood. It's important to address the root cause so that the new veneer can truly thrive over time! In such cases, it’s a great opportunity to take measurements again and create a new veneer! Moreover, if there are significant adjustments to the veneer shape for aesthetic purposes, this scenario can be positively addressed with a variety of material options.

What are alternative treatments to laminate veneers?

If your teeth are in great shape and you want to keep them that way, composite bonding is a wonderful option for you! Composite bonding with porcelain content, which has recently gained popularity, offers remarkably durable and visually appealing results.

Composite bonding applications produced in the laboratory environment and those applied directly on the tooth showcase distinct differences that highlight the unique qualities of each method. Composite bondings created in the laboratory offer remarkable advantages over direct applications, shining in both aesthetics and durability. These veneers do need some scraping from the tooth surface, similar to laminate veneers.

Conclusion

Laminate veneers offer a wonderful solution to address various dental issues, providing a lasting enhancement for nearly 20 years. Laminate veneers, which protect the structure of your teeth, can be refreshed when the time comes. It's great to know that laminate veneers only cover the front surface of your teeth! This means that if decay develops in the tooth, you can clean it without needing to remove the veneer.

Laminate veneers provide numerous benefits and can lead to fantastic outcomes when applied correctly, with seamless coordination between the laboratory and dentist. At Avita Smile, we are thrilled to consistently provide laminate veneer treatments through our skilled aesthetic dentists, who bring 20 to 30 years of experience to the table, along with our dedicated periodontists and in-house laboratory facilities. For over 20 years, we have proudly contributed to the smiles of tens of thousands of people through the service we have provided to our European patients. For a secure place to get your laminate veneers, feel free to reach out to us!