Having crooked or chipped off teeth can decrease the aesthetic look of your smile and you can see that your smile looks different from the people that have perfect white teeth. But again no one is lucky enough to have grown a perfect permanent set of teeth. Our genetics and the habits that we catch in the childhood decide the shape of our permanent teeth. Habits like thumb sucking and tongue thrusting alter the growth of the teeth and they can grow shorter or get crooked or crowded at places. Trauma from accidents can also affect the shape of the teeth and can sometimes break the teeth partially or chip it off, changing its look.
Dentistry provides treatments for chipped off, crooked, and crowded teeth. The normal appearance of the teeth can be restored by the use of porcelain veneers.
What are Porcelain Veneers?
Cosmetic dentistry provides artificial tooth attachments that can cover the surface of the teeth. These artificial tooth surfaces, known as veneers, can hide the abnormalities of teeth such as stains or cracks on the teeth. Veneers can be made out of composite resin material or can be constructed out of porcelain. People who go for veneer treatment generally opt for porcelain veneers as porcelain is a material that is harder than the composite resin. Porcelain veneers also add to the hardness and the luster of the teeth. They make the teeth look natural and conditioned.
The attachment of common porcelain veneers is done by removing the enamel from the front surface of the teeth. The veneers are then checked for the favorable color that matches the teeth’s natural color. They are then placed and attached to the teeth by the use of a dental bonding resin or dental cement.
What are Lumineers and how are They Different from Porcelain Veneers?
Porcelain veneers are manufactured in labs according to the needs of the patient. Lumineers ® is a brand that manufactures dental veneers and makes it a little more sophisticated. They manufacture ultra-thin veneers that can be bonded to the teeth with ease.
The veneers manufactured by Lumineers ® are very thin. In fact, the veneers can be manufactured as thin as .2 to .3 mm which is almost equal to the thickness of a contact lens. The thinness of the Lumineers ® veneers allows them to be bonded to the teeth without removing the enamel or drilling, unlike common porcelain veneers. Since Lumineers do not need any grinding or drilling of the teeth, there is no need for anesthesia or any other sedation dentistry. Lumineers decrease the load exerted on the teeth by porcelain veneers. The least thickness a porcelain veneer can achieve is .5 mm. This means that there is more load on the teeth although the enamel is ground out of the teeth.
If you want your teeth to look perfectly normal and don’t want any discomfort with your veneers, you can go for Lumineers. But if you want a more radical treatment for your stained or crooked teeth, you can opt for common porcelain veneers. Contact us for general and cosmetic dentistry in Edmonton at Beverly Heights Dental.