What are composite veneers? Reviews about them can be found quite often. They are also called direct veneers. Used to restore decayed teeth and eliminate various flaws in the dentition. The plates are installed during a single visit to the dentist. The dentist applies a reflective material to the front of the tooth. The composite will serve for a long time, since food presses the least on this place when chewing.
What are they made of?
The basis of such plates is a composite - a special material for filling. When composites first began to be produced, their quality and properties were not at a high level. At present, the materials are close to the properties of ceramics. Many contain both composite and ceramic.
What about such plates as composite veneers, reviews? Their peculiarities lie in the fact that, compared to analogues made of ceramics or zirconium oxide, they allow you to correct only that part of the tooth that needs it. The shape and color are being corrected.
How are they made?
Composite veneers for teeth, which patients' reviews are heterogeneous, are made in two ways - direct and indirect.
Indirect veneers are made in the same way as porcelain veneers. There is a preparation of the outer surface of the tooth with burs, an impression is taken. According to it, a model is cast by a technician from plaster specially designed for this purpose. On it is the creation of the future form. After that, the composite veneers are used by the doctor, who installs them with glue.
The basis for the production of plates by the direct method is the preparation of the model at the first visit to the dentist. The material used is similar. The difference lies in exposing the patch to high pressure, which is only obtained in the laboratory.
Installation features
The process is not as simple as it seems at first glance.
How are composite veneers installed? Reviews indicate that when installed by the direct method, they are made directly on the teeth by a doctor. But the dentist is not able to act on the installed material in the oral cavity by means of high temperature or pressure. A technician can do this. Therefore, composite veneers from this specialist are more durable than from a dentist, although the difference in work with modern material is negligible.
Composite veneers produced by a direct method allow the doctor not to process the entirethe outer surface of the tooth, but only the part that needs it. Therefore, the tooth will be less traumatized.
The use of the indirect method is justified if the patient wants to correct several teeth at a time. He will spend much less time on the procedure. If one or two teeth are damaged, it is better to resort to the direct method. It should be noted that the price for it is lower than for indirect.
Often, patients are interested in what is the quality of the veneer, in particular, the composite one. Undoubtedly, the material plays a big role, how competently it is applied, how and under what situations.
Important points
Notes as evidenced by reviews:
- Composite veneers should not be installed if it is necessary to improve the aesthetic appearance of the teeth, but in situations where the teeth are significantly destroyed. At the same time, the procedure should allow a specific clinical case, since orthopedic veneers may be useless from a practical point of view or because of the impossibility of using them.
- Composite materials have a limited range of colors, so in some cases the selection of the ideal color for enamel will be problematic. But the dentist will tell you about it. Although, as a rule, in a third of patients the color is chosen successfully.
- Don't use cheap materials. They are brittle, porous, and therefore easily stain the color of food and drinks.
Main production steps
- Dentist examines the oral cavity and evaluatescondition of teeth that need restoration.
- In accordance with the Vita scale, the doctor, together with the patient, selects the color of the material for restoration.
- Next, the teeth are turned. The thickness of the enamel layer to be removed should be about 0.3–0.7 mm.
- Composite material is applied to the tooth surface in layers.
- The surface of the finished veneer is turned and polished.
Indications for installation
Composite veneers, reviews, photos of which confirm that they have a positive effect from an aesthetic point of view, can:
- correct tooth irregularities;
- close the smallest cracks and chips on the enamel;
- reduce gap between teeth;
- change enamel color.
A number of contraindications
Composite veneers are not recommended in the same situations as indirect veneers.
The main contraindications are:
- poor oral hygiene;
- prognathia or progenia;
- presence of gingivitis;
- dental disease;
- presence of bruxism (teeth grinding at night).
- tooth abrasion;
- shaky teeth;
- the presence of defects in the enamel, which cannot be hidden when installing veneers;
- lack of chewing teeth (sixth or seventh);
- extreme sports;
- having bad habits that can damage veneers;
- strong destruction of the surface of the teeth from the inside;
- presence of a large filling in the inside of the tooth.
If the inner wall of the tooth has been destroyed or there is a large filling on it, then it is recommended to install a crown on the tooth, which can be combined with a veneer: install crowns on badly damaged teeth, and put veneers on neighboring teeth. The main condition is that the crowns and veneers look identical.
The first four contraindications are not strict. After the defects have been eliminated, vining can be carried out.
Care
How to care for such plates as composite veneers? Reviews and advice from a doctor will help you.
Composite veneers require renewal approximately every five years, as well as periodic care and supervision by a doctor.
There are a number of recommendations to keep the plates as long as possible:
- Do not use coloring products on the first day of installation. These include red wine, coffee, tea, beets, nicotine.
- Veneers usually do not contribute to a change in diction, as they are installed on the front wall of the teeth. But in the first two days, out of habit, they can interfere a little. Therefore, it is better not to take rough food so as not to bite your lip or cheek. After prosthetics, you can immediately load the front teeth, but keep them away from bones, skewers and toothpicks.
- Dental care routine. Requires brushing with toothpaste in the morning and evening.
What do the reviews say?Composite veneers require periodic monitoring by a dentist in order to timely correct the problem area in case of a change in the tooth. If plaque accumulates in this place, then the risk of developing caries is high. At the same time, caries after prosthetics does not damage the veneer, but the tooth on which it was reinforced.
If the doctor noticed that there is more plaque, he will remove it, recommending that when brushing your teeth, pay more attention to this place. He will advise the necessary movements of the toothbrush in this case.
If 4 years after the installation of veneers, bumps appear in the areas, then the dentist can polish them. In case of caries directly on the tooth in the area of the plate, it can be filled.
Can composite veneers be whitened? Reviews show no. The teeth will become whiter, but the plates will retain their original appearance and will look darker. If the patient wants to whiten their teeth, then this should be done before the plates are installed.
Pros
The main advantage of composite veneers is their price. Their manufacture does not require special installation technology and the use of expensive materials. This is what defines accessibility.
Also, the installation does not take much time. It is carried out in one visit to the dentist. In the manufacture of overlays, it is not necessary to take impressions and send them to the laboratory. Manipulations are carried out directly in the patient's oral cavity.
Cons
- The inaccuracy of the fit of the veneer to the tooth surface, which can cause plaque and bacteria to grow. This will causethe appearance of caries and gingivitis.
- Unlike ceramic counterparts, composite veneers do not have such an aesthetic appearance.
- Over time, the pads darken and need to be replaced.
- Composite veneers are inherently fragile. They do not have a high level of reliability.
- The pads wear off and become rough.
- Composite veneers change color and stain.
Price
Direct veneers cost less than indirect veneers. The price of composite veneers varies depending on the level of the dental clinic and the master who performs the work. Prices for composite veneers in Moscow are much higher than in other regions of Russia.
In economy-class dental clinics, the cost of onlays (veneers) ranges from 2,500 to 3,000 rubles. In top-level clinics, the maximum price is 15,000 rubles.
The higher the price of a composite veneer, the higher the quality of the work of the master who creates it.
Criteria for high quality products
Composite veneers, which are of high quality, must fully match the shape and color of the teeth and successfully hide all existing flaws in the dentition. Plates produced with all therapeutic requirements in mind will last approximately five years, after which they need to be updated.
Patient testimonials
How are plates evaluated by patients? What are their reviews? Composite veneers, according to many, last quite a long time, about 10 years. During thistime they do not break or crack.
It is also noted that ceramic veneers have all the advantages over composite ones. Unlike the latest models, they look more natural. At the same time, it is noted that the basis of the composite veneer is a heavier material with a dense structure.
For many patients, veneer plates have helped to get rid of such a defect as a cleft in the front teeth.
Reviews of dentists
Doctors also leave their feedback. Composite veneers, in their opinion, have a number of features:
- The aesthetic appearance of such plates is very far from ceramic products. Composite veneers always differ from natural teeth in terms of color, translucency and surface quality.
- Color stability is poor. Over time, the material begins to fade and darken. This disadvantage is not found in ceramic-based counterparts.
- The strength level of the material. Composite veneers are inherently fragile. They should not be installed on the front teeth.
Wakiaga Research
How are composite veneers evaluated abroad? Wakiaga testimonials indicate that more than half of the people who had the plates installed were satisfied. The survey was conducted among patients who were installed 2 years ago.
However, for this study, allowance must be made for Russian reality. Abroad, composite veneers are made only in laboratory conditions, and in Russia, in the vast majority of cases, the procedure is performed by the dentist himself right in the patient's mouth. The veneer in this case is installed as a seal. Therefore, the percentage of satisfied patients with such a design in our country is predictably low.
Which should I prefer - a veneer or a crown?
If there are no contraindications to the installation of plates such as composite veneers, patient feedback suggests that it is better to use them. If you have one of the contraindications listed above, then it is better to install a crown.
The difference between a veneer and a crown is that the dentist grinds the tooth under the crown from all sides by 2.0 mm. The result is like a stump. To install the veneer, remove the top layer of enamel on the front wall of the tooth with a depth of 0.6 mm and another 1 mm near the cutting edge.
The filling material used for the restoration does not have the desired characteristics. Therefore, from a purely aesthetic point of view, it will not look as good as veneers.
Restored teeth are always darker than he althy ones. In addition, a dark line often appears at the borders of the tooth and the filling.
Braces or veneers?
Should I put composite veneers? Feedback from patients with an orthodontic problem is as follows: it all depends on the degree of curvature of the teeth and how quickly you need to get the desired effect from correcting the defect.
It is possible to align teeth with veneers. But this is done only if you need alignment urgently, and not in six months or a year. If the speed of obtaining the desired result is not important for you, thenbraces will be the best choice.
Sometimes the look of braces confuses the patient. In this case, he is offered the installation:
- lingual braces systems;
- ceramic braces;
- braces based on crystal sapphire;
- clear mouthguards that correct overbite (they can be removed and put on at any time).
What, in this case, about such plates as composite veneers, reviews? Those who did say that they are able to correct small flaws in the bite. In addition, according to dentists, it is a pity to grind the enamel of several teeth at once. In this case, braces should be preferred.
Modern braces are produced using proven technologies. They allow you to correct the curvature of the teeth in 6 months.
Conclusion
What can you conclude about plates like composite veneers? Photos before and after, patient reviews indicate that they look quite aesthetically pleasing, are able to eliminate a number of existing defects and last a long time. At the same time, they are placed taking into account contraindications. The appropriateness of their use should be discussed with the dentist.
