Describe a dental veneer, anddiscuss the advantages anddisadvantages of the various dentalveneering restorative materials.*

A dental veneer is an ultra-thin shell of tooth-colored porcelain or composite that is cemented over the facial surfaces of your teeth to correct dental issues including worn tooth enamel, uneven tooth alignment or spacing, tooth discoloration, and chips or cracks.
They boast protective qualities and may eliminate the need for more extensive treatments. Other benefits include durability, an improved smile appearance, and the need for little-to-no removal of tooth structure compared to crowns.
Composite resin veneer- consist of a mixture of two or more materials
1. Advantage
  1. Composites are built by the dentist bonding directly to the tooth, they cost less than a porcelain veneer needing just the one visit.
    1. They can be repaired if broken by the dentist, usually by adding on to the remaining veneer instead of replacing the entire thing.
2. Disadvantage
  1. They have a tendency to stain due to the patients diet.
Porcelain veneers- built in a lab by technicians
1. Advantage
  1. resist staining due to its glass-like surface
  2. obtain a better aesthetic value compared to composites, the glass-like nature allows light to penetrate acting true to nature of the enamel of the tooth. This creates a lustrous appearance close to the true appearance of enamel.
2. Disadvantage
  1. Cement underneath is not resistant to staining
    1. Porcelain veneers may break meaning the entire thing will need to be removed and replaced being made by a lab technician.

Resource summary

	Created by Alice Dolman about 5 years ago