Prosthodontics and Restorative Dentistry are two fields in Dentistry that are concerned in the restoration and replacement of the appearance and function of the teeth. When a tooth develops a dental decay or has unfortunately been lost due to an unfortunate tooth extraction, this tooth needs to be filled with an appropriate material and the lost tooth has to be replaced by an artificial. To continue to enjoy the function of your teeth, you seek the expertise of a dentist.
When your need is more aesthetic than function, porcelain veneers will be common choice. Veneers are prosthetic coverings, placed on the anterior surface of the teeth. To fabricate it, the tooth will be minimally reduced or prepared. After tooth preparation, a dental impression is taken and from the cast the prosthetic is created. The finished porcelain veneers are then delivered to the patient and luted to the facial surface of the tooth or teeth.
Is it really worth it to get porcelain veneers? It sounds rather simple, but there are some things that you can look into to make a better decision.
– Cost: Veneers, even though it covers only the facial part of the teeth are slightly more expensive than dental crowns. Porcelain fused to metal crowns have a metal reinforcement, but veneers which are more like all-porcelain crowns, rely on the bulk of porcelain for strength. This makes porcelain veneers quite costly because more material has to be used.
– Aesthetic Results: In terms of aesthetics, porcelain is truly reliable. Porcelain shades can be manipulated so that it matches the color of the natural teeth. This is important when you are trying to restore just one or a few teeth; there are remaining natural teeth in the mouth so the porcelain veneers should match their color and shade.
– Tooth Preservation: When dental crowns are being fabricated, all-surface reduction is required so compromising the health of the tooth. This is not the same with porcelain veneers because the reduction is limited to the facial or frontal surface — saving tooth and valuing health.
– Longevity and Durability: Porcelain is a strong material, especially when you compare it with common alternatives, composite resin and ceramic. A porcelain prosthesis that is reinforced by metal, however, will be so much stronger so you can expect for all porcelain crowns and porcelain veneers to be a little brittle and weak, so that replacement and recementation may be required.
– Function: In the general sense, your new teeth will give you a better reason to smile. You will still be able to enjoy the function of your mouth, but you will be asked to be a little careful not to use the restored teeth to bite on hard stuff, so as not to cause dislodgement.
Whenever you have to make a decision, it is always a good idea for you to really look at the options that you are presented with, so that you can study them closely and make a sound decision based on the information you are presented with. There are a lot of treatment options that you can go for. Porcelain veneers is just one of the name options you have, and you make a decision to go towards this direction because you believe that it is the best answer for your problem.