Cosmetic applications for dental bonding. - Composite Veneers.

In fashion similar to a porcelain veneer, a dentist can use dental bonding to create a veneering for a tooth's front surface.

In fact, creating veneers out of dental composite (the restorative used with dental-bonding technique) predates the porcelain variety by several decades.

How are they made and placed?

Making veneers out of dental composite is a fairly straightforward process and entails essentially the same steps as with any other type of bonding procedure.

However, what's unique about this type of restoration is that it takes a great amount of artistry on the part of the dentist.

When a porcelain veneer is made, the dentist takes an impression of the prepared tooth. A dental laboratory technician then creates a plaster cast from this impression and makes the veneer on it.

In comparison, when bonding is used it's the dentist who is the artisan. And unlike a dental technician who is working on their own in their laboratory, a dentist has to achieve their results right there during the dental appointment, within the amount of time that has been allotted.

While performing their work, the dentist must evaluate a number of factors:

Is the dental bonding being used the right shade? Is this shade appropriate for the entire tooth, or just one part and then another shade is needed for other aspects of the veneer? Is the veneer too bulky? Does it have enough bulk to adequately mask the cosmetic defect being hidden? Is the veneer the right shape, is it truly a mirror image of the same tooth on the patient's other side? Are the gum line edges of the veneer tapered and smooth so dental plaque can be properly brushed and flossed away?

It's no small feat for a dentist to create a composite veneer that is both beautiful and functional.

Dental anesthetic may not be needed.

As is the case with many types of cosmetic bonding procedures, dental anesthetic may not be needed when dental composite veneers are placed. The necessity for anesthetic usually hinges on the amount of tooth reduction that is planned. When composite veneers are placed it can be possible that very little tooth reduction is needed and therefore no dental anesthetic will be required.

Advantages and disadvantages of composite veneers.

A dentist can usually achieve the same general types of cosmetic changes for a tooth with either porcelain veneers or dental bonding. There are however advantages and disadvantages to each method. Our next page discusses this topic in detail.