A smile transformed with Porcelain Veneers can offer flawless results and a confidence that lasts. But, unfortunately, not all Porcelain Veneers are made the same. Too often our Cosmetic Dentists treat clients who’ve been fitted with low-quality Porcelain Veneers, leading to breakages and inferior appearance issues. Here’s what to look for to ensure a quality smile makeover.
Tips to Ensure a Quality Smile Makeover
If you’ve been looking into getting Veneers, you’d be aware that there are a few different types, including:
- Porcelain Veneers
- Composite Veneers
- No-Prep Veneers (e.g. Lumineer™ Veneers
- Removable (Temporary) Veneers
Porcelain Veneers are strong, durable, stain-resistant and they look like your natural teeth. But did you know that, within the Porcelain Veneer category, there are different levels of quality too?
Porcelain Veneers are an excellent choice for clients looking to brighten and balance their smile. Not only do the ultra-thin ceramic covers mask discoloured teeth and perfect their shape, they also add a strong coating which, when properly applied, can protect your teeth from future deterioration.
So, what are the different types of Porcelain Veneers and how can you be sure you’re getting the highest quality smile makeover?
Materials matter
Too often, our CosMediSmile team gets contacted by clients who’ve been fitted with inferior Porcelain Veneers elsewhere. After being told they could save money and get their Veneers faster, these clients turn to us with smiles that just don’t look right, often with:
- Chips or breaks
- Stains
- Unnatural appearance / finish
So, given they’d been told they’d be getting high-quality Veneers to last them at least a decade, what went wrong?
It all comes down to the type of porcelain used.
Types of porcelain
Porcelain has long been the Veneer material of choice amongst Cosmetic Dentists. Porcelain is extremely biocompatible, which means that, on top of being strong and durable, it rarely causes injury to the gum or soft tissue of the mouth.
In recent years, there’s been huge developments in dental ceramic technology. Rather than settling for the limited colour gradient and opaque, unnatural look of low-grade porcelain, a group of dental laboratory experts sought to create a porcelain that offered the ultimate in colour matching and excellent translucency (for a natural appearance), while still maintaining the strength, durability and stain-resistance of traditional porcelain.
Enter IPS E-max porcelain—the only material used and trusted by our CosMediSmile dentists.
IPS E-max porcelain is a high-quality ceramic porcelain available from two bases:
- Lithium Disilicate (a glass ceramic)
- Zirconium Oxide (an even higher strength material)
Both E-max porcelains offer a translucency and final finish almost identical to a natural tooth. They are incredibly strong and produce Veneers that are ultra-thin and virtually stainproof. Unlike the 10-year lifespan of low-grade Porcelain Veneers, IPS E-max Porcelain Veneers can last at least 20 years when cared for properly.
The CosMediSmile advantage
CosMediSmile Porcelain Veneers are handcrafted in the best locally based ceramic labs. Unlike providers who use ‘bargain price’ Veneers created offshore, we can personally assure the quality of materials used in our labs. We work closely with our Ceramic Artists to ensure that your smile is customised to your unique requirements and, what’s more, you can forget lengthy delays caused by sourcing Veneers overseas – your CosMediSmile makeover can be complete in as little as one week!
Aside from material quality, there are two main reasons Porcelain Veneers fail: improper bonding and poor adhesives. When placed by unskilled and unqualified dentists, Porcelain Veneers don’t bond to existing teeth correctly. This can lead to chips, breaks and a build up of bacteria and decay under the Veneers. Some providers also try to cut corners by using poor quality adhesives — these products are responsible for chips and breakages and are a real lesson in being wary of ‘bargain prices’ on offer!
Luckily, at CosMediSmile, we only work with highly skilled and highly qualified Cosmetic Dentists. Our Porcelain Veneers are applied with the utmost care to ensure that no corners are cut and there’s no room for error. Our clients are encouraged to take part in the smile design stage, and we then work with experienced Ceramic Artists to craft your custom veneers.
CosMediSmile has been providing the ultimate in smile makeovers since 2009. With countless happy clients, you know you’re in expert hands. So, why wait? Start your porcelain veneer journey with us now.