Problems related to teeth are very diverse such as decayed teeth, chipped teeth, missing teeth, sparse teeth, dull teeth. There are many treatment methods offered to overcome each specific case. Most of the time, depending on the condition of the patient's teeth, the dentist will give appropriate treatment.
- For cases of tooth decay: If the tooth decay is mild, the solution is usually fillings, Onlay, Inlay. If the tooth is severely decayed, the treatment is usually a new tooth replacement
- In case of tooth loss: replace a new tooth or use a removable denture
- For the case of chipped teeth, wide teeth, and dull teeth: the treatment methods applied today are veneers and Lumineers.
Before deciding the final treatment, the patient should consult with dentists and research suggested tooth treatments. The basic knowledge of the advantages, disadvantages, and the reference cost of each treatment, will help the patient get the right choice.
The methods of filling teeth, Onlay, inlay, and new tooth replacement have been mentioned in previous posts. Therefore, this post will provide basic knowledge about veneers and Lumineers, the advantages, disadvantages, and current prices.
I. Porcelain Veneers
1. What are Porcelain Veneers?
Porcelain Veneers or traditional veneers are thin teeth, about 0.5mm thick, made from porcelain. They often are permanently attached to the front part of teeth. Dental veneers are only applied to the front teeth (usually eight teeth in the front area) to help improve cosmetic problems of teeth such as chipped teeth, dull teeth, or gaping teeth.
Dental veneers help improve cosmetic problems and limit unnecessary impacts on teeth. Instead of completely replacing a new tooth, dental veneers help to retain the patient's natural tooth structure.
2. Benefits of porcelain veneer
Dental Veneer helps to improve cosmetic dental problems include:
- Worn Enamel: Enamel can become worn over time due to the habit of using tea, coffee, soft drinks, smoking, or taking medication for a long time, leading to impacts on tooth enamel.
- Irregular teeth: Due to the impact of chewing, grinding can lead to uneven teeth, different heights. In this case, dental veneers are a recommended solution
Dull or discoloration: In some cases, teeth become more discoloration than other teeth, leading to loss of aesthetics. Dental veneers quickly help overcome this situation.
- Heredity: Genetic factors also affect the aesthetics of teeth. In some cases, the gap between teeth is sparse. If it is not severe, dental veneers will be a perfect solution. In case of getting sparse all the jaw, the dentist can offer braces method
- Chipped, broken teeth: In case teeth are chipped or partially broken due to external impacts. Solution of dental veneers will help completely cover these defects.
3. Process of applying Porcelain Veneer
The dentist will make an impression of your teeth and send the image data to the dental lab for dental veneers. Today, most dental labs use Cad/Cam technology to make highly aesthetic veneer teeth.
The process of attaching porcelain veneers will include the following steps:
-Local anesthesia
- Dentists can grind a part on natural teeth to help the best fit
- Create a little rougher texture on the surface for better adhesion
- Use dental cement to bond the veneer to the tooth
After applying the veneer, your teeth may be more sensitive because the enamel becomes worn during the teeth-making process.
Veneer teeth are quite thin, so it is easy to break, so the process of post-procedure care needs to be taken care of carefully. The patient should not abuse to bite, chew hard, which can cause breakage.
In addition, porcelain veneers interfere with the cleaning of the gum line. Thus, the patient should take care to avoid gum disease.
4. Pros and Cons of dental veneer
Pros | Cons |
Durability (made from porcelain) Long-lasting ( can last 10 to 15 years) Good opaque Helps to cover cosmetic problems better than Lumineers due to being thicker | Long preparation and partial impact on natural teeth More expensive |
5. Cost of porcelain veneer
The price of Porcelain veneer ranges from $925 to $2500 per tooth while compositive resin veneer ranges from $250 to $1500 (because porcelain veneers are more durable), lasting 10-15 years.
Reference: https://www.yourdentistryguide.com/veneer-procedure/
However, the cost of dental veneers will vary depending on the country the region, the health of your teeth, and the process of intervention when applying veneers
Currently, porcelain veneer products are one of the main products in dental labs Vietnam outsourcing systems. The application of CAD/CAM technology in production and a team of skilled technicians helps dental labs confidently produce high aesthetic porcelain veneer products that meet export standards.
II. Lumineers
1. What are Lumineers?
Lumineers or “no-prep” veneers are other versions of dental veneers, made from ultrathin laminate.
With a thin thickness of only 0.3mm, Lumineers are easy to attach to teeth than porcelain veneers. They are also easy to remove without much impact on natural teeth.
Lumineers are more transparent compared to traditional veneers, so Lumineers will not be effective in cases of severely discolored teeth.
2. Benefits of Lumineers
Like traditional veneers, Lumineers help improve the variety of cosmetic problems related to teeth such as worn teeth, chipped teeth, broken teeth, dull teeth, and spaced teeth.
The outstanding benefit of Lumineers over traditional veneers is that natural teeth are less prone to interference during the bonding process due to their thin nature.
The process of attaching Lumineers teeth is relatively simple, with little intervention on natural teeth, so the patient feels more comfortable
Lumineers are thin but also very sturdy, do not affect the eating process of the patient later. However, like porcelain veneers, overuse of strong bite force can lead to breakage.
3. Process of applying Lumineers
The process of attaching Lumineers is like porcelain veneers but will be faster because there is no need to thin the natural teeth. The subsequent teeth are also less sensitive than traditional veneers.
Patients with Lumineers also increase the risk for gum disease like porcelain veneers because the gum line area causes hard to clean
4. The Pros and Cons of Lumineers
Pros | Cons |
Less expensive than Veneers Not much impact on natural teeth Easy to remove after application | Not as durable as porcelain veneer teeth Not cover damaged teeth as well as veneers |
5. The cost of Lumineers
The price of Lumineers is in the range of $800-$2000/unit. However, you should note, Lumineers are classified as cosmetic, so insurance will not cover this cost.
Reference: https://www.healthline.com/health/veneers-vs-lumineers#lumineers
Author: Xdent team