Porcelain Veneers

Cosmetic Dentistry

Porcelain Veneers

Here at Pearl Dental Clinic, we provide a wide range of dental veneers including traditional feldspathic porcelain veneers.

Composite veneers involve either minimal or no tooth shaving and are the most conservative option. With most porcelain veneers some enamel shaving is necessary to ensure a natural looking fit. There are, however, certain ceramic veneers that need very little enamel shaving, if any at all. These are in the form of our Emax veneers or Lumineers. Enamel shaving, also known as tooth reduction, is an irreversible process. Therefore, it is important to be sure before undergoing dental veneer treatment. Tooth reduction can occasionally lead to tooth sensitivity after veneer cementation.

Here at Pearl Dental Clinic we always assess our patients to see which type of veneer is the most suitable cosmetic solution for their individual needs. Porcelain veneers are not as strong as high strength Emax ceramic veneers and generally require more tooth reduction, but in some cases porcelain veneers may look more realistic and natural than Lumineers. You are welcome to view our Porcelain Veneers Before & After cases gallery.

What is the procedure for getting Porcelain Veneers

The teeth, the facial profile, and the patients bite will be clinically assessed.
Based on the findings, a design for the porcelain veneers is chosen. This is followed by a ‘trial smile’ which shows the chosen smile design in wax. At this stage, any tooth preparation that is needed will be shown and agreed with the patient.
Teeth Whitening is usually carried out on other teeth to improve their shade.
Preparation of the tooth is carried out where necessary and digital scans are sent to the lab. Temporary veneers are fitted.
We are one of the few clinics in the UK that use the latest iTero 5D plus digital scanning system. The iTero handheld wand takes a digital, 3D image of your teeth instead of taking traditional impressions and moulds. The digital image is electronically sent to the dental laboratory immediately. Digital scanning speeds up the process of dental veneer manufacture, avoids patient gagging and is much more accurate than traditional impressions.
We may ask you to see the lab technician for a review of your temporary veneers, so that you can finalize the design of the porcelain veneers and make any changes necessary based on your wishes.
Fitting of the veneers is done with high strength resin cement once the veneers have returned from the lab. The resin cement provides a chemical bond between the tooth and the veneers. In order to increase the bond strength between the tooth and the veneers, at Pearl Dental Clinic we use the AquaCare Air Abrasion system which uses high pressure Aluminium Oxide particles to create an additional mechanical bond for the veneers. This significantly reduces the risk of the porcelain veneer debonding in future.

Maintenance for Veneers

Patients must be aware that all dental veneers require maintenance and care in order to increase their lifespan. This usually involves brushing and flossing daily as well as wearing a mouthguard at night. Attending 6 – 12 month check-ups and hygiene visits are also essential. Patients must avoid eating very hard foods or habits such as nail biting or chewing pens to reduce the risk of damage to their veneers. The average lifespan of porcelain veneers can be increased significantly by following these simple care guidelines.

If patients grind their teeth at night, they must wear a nightguard to protect their dental veneers. If patients are in doubt about being able to wear a nightguard, we would recommend composite veneers over porcelain veneers. In such situations, if veneer fracture does occur, composite veneers can be repaired much more easily, quickly, and cheaply than a porcelain veneer. The average lifespan of composite veneers is around 5 years and porcelain veneers last on average around 10 years with a good maintenance regime in place.

At Pearl dental clinic, we provide FREE teeth whitening with 4 or more Lumineers/Porcelain/Ceramic Veneers.

You can spread the cost of your porcelain veneers treatment interest free with our 0% dental finance plans.

Pearl Dental Clinic is open 7 days a week from 9am to 10pm. You can book a Veneer Consultation appointment by calling us on 0208 547 9997 or emailing us or book an appointment online.