Hi there DentAbroaders! I know you have so many questions regarding veneer materials and smile makeovers. So i decided to talk about all those veneer types and materials that are used for a smile makeover.
There’s a lot of techniques and materials in cosmetic dentistry that can turn your smile into an enchanting one. There are veneers, crowns, lumineers, laminates, e-max, porcelain, zirconium… Wait! What are those things! What to choose! Oh, god!
At first, they can all sound complicated but here i am to explain them all to you. Let’s begin with explaining some of the concepts regarding these veneer materials and types.
First; what is a crown and a veneer? What’s the difference between them? As known in the U.K, a crown (aka full crown) is basically a cap which envelops your tooth from every visible surface one hundred percent. A veneer is more like a fake fingernail which fits onto your tooth’s front surface only.
But in some countries like Turkey for example; the term “veneer” stands for a more common expression. Crowns, laminates or any other dental prosthetics are falling under the term “veneer” in Turkey. So it sometimes gets confusing when you say to your dentist that you want “veneers”. It’s always a good idea to give more details about what you want. Like, instead of saying “i want veneers”, you can say “i want laminate veneers” or “i’d like to have full crowns”. (C’mon, don’t get bored already! This information can save your lives folks!)
It’s not gonna be a surprise when i say that there’s probably going to be a language barrier between you and your dentist once you’re abroad. So, being as clear as possible about your wishes is always vital. Veneer materials and types are already confusing enough even if you’re quite clear about them!
Back to the terms, DentAbroaders; we can do this! Now that we have cleared the meanings of crowns and veneers we can continue to explain what are laminate veneers and lumineers. Laminate veneers (aka veneers in the UK) are thin layers which are fitted onto your teeth’s front surfaces only. Lumineers are basically the same things in fact. They’re also like fake fingernails that sits over the teeth’s front surfaces only BUT (there’s always a “but”, you know) while laminate veneers require a preparation before fitting (and by saying “preparation”, i mean a bit of filing from your teeth, yes), lumineers require no preparation, no filing or drilling. The only difference between them can be described that way.
And here’s the saddening news guys; you can’t decide what you can get only by yourselves. You have to consult your dentist. Only a dentist can distinguish whether you’re suitable for a laminate/lumineer or a crown.
Now we can talk about veneer materials for a while.
Porcelain, zirconium (aka zirconia), e-max… What are those things?
(Don’t give up yet! I know you can do it!)
These are some raw materials for producing crowns or veneers. When we say “porcelain” it usually means porcelain fused to a gray coloured metal base. Compared to zirconium, porcelain is more opaque and because of its gray coloured metal base it might cause a gray reflection on your gum line.
When we say zirconium it refers to a quite strong kind of porcelain that is fused to a white coloured metal base. And it also can be much more translucent than a standard porcelain which makes it more similar to a natural tooth. Thanks to its white coloured metal base it won’t cause any coloration on your gum line as well. So it is considered much more aesthetic than the standard porcelain.
And the e-max is the most natural looking material. It is more like a tooth-shaped glass. So you can imagine it being quite fragile and this is true. Some people prefer e-max material to make their new teeth seem as natural as possible.
So, DentAbroaders, what have we learned today? I strongly believe that now you know the terms “veneers, crowns, laminates and lumineers” and you also know (i know you know) what are the materials used for smile makeovers.
And i also know that you’re bored as hell but… Sorry, not sorry guys. I had to enlighten you. So… Please feel free to ask anything that you want to know, you can always contact team DentAbroad and we’ll be more than happy to help you. You can also make some suggestions about what you wanna read in DentAbroad. Take care guys, time to go! See you in another article!
