Finding A Great Dentist

Two Types of Dental Veneers

27 October 2016

Kenzi Thompson

Nowadays, many people are having their teeth transformed using dental veneers, which are thin pieces of dental material, such as resin or porcelain, that are affixed to the front surfaces of the teeth. Once a veneer is placed, the underlying tooth is no longer visible. As a result, dental blemishes, such as discoloration, chips, cracks, and minor misalignments are also hidden.

Still, even though veneers have become popular applications, some people do not know much about the options associated with veneers. Dental veneers can be offered as a traditional or prepless application. Here is a bit of information about these two types of veneers.

Traditional Veneers

Traditional veneers are placed through a conventional procedure. A mold of your mouth  is made to act as a guide for the laboratory production of the veneers. Once the mold of the teeth is obtained, it is sent to the dental laboratory, and the veneers are constructed.

Some veneers will be basically the same size as the underlying teeth. Others will be slightly larger if they are being used to extend the length of teeth or to fill in interdental gaps.

Before traditional veneers can be placed, a small amount of tooth material must be removed from the front surface of each tooth to prepare for the veneers' placement. The removal of the enamel is to ensure that the veneers do not extend past your normal bite perimeter. Once in place, traditional veneers are considered permanent.

Prepless Porcelain Veneers

Like traditional veneers, prepless veneers require a mold of your mouth, and the veneers are usually produced in a dental lab.Also, the size and shape of the veneer is dictated by the cosmetic issue that is being corrected.

However, the prepless veneers differ from traditional veneers in the type of tooth preparation required before the veneers are placed. Prepless veneers do not require the removal of tooth enamel. Instead, the veneers are just attached to the outer surface of the teeth and can be later removed if desired without damaging the teeth.

Since prepless veneers do not require the removal of tooth enamel, they must be extremely thin to prevent a bulky appearance after their placement.

Another benefit of the prepless veneer is its placement below the gum line. This helps ensure that the veneers will not adversely affect gum health.

To learn more about veneers and their associated options, schedule a consultation with a cosmetic dentist such as Timothy Richter in your area.

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