No prep veneers
Nowadays, a beautiful smile is something we are really remembered for. It opens many doors for us, both in business and in private life, and significantly increases our self-confidence.
Even if you do not have an ideal smile, we can beautify it with very simple procedures. One of them are the no prep veneers. They “stick” to the front surface of the teeth and permanently change the color, size and shape of the teeth. They are most often made of ceramics.
“No prep” means that there is no preparation, i.e. preparation of teeth. But prep veneers are actually veneers that are very thin and firm. It is specific for them that there is no preparation of the teeth, but the indications for making them are very narrowed, so they are usually combined with other types of veneers.
A common question of our patients is: “Do they have to grind, i.e. damage their natural teeth?”. The answer is very simple. However, the veneers are about 0.3 or 0.4 mm thick. If your natural teeth are smaller, and you would like larger teeth, there will most likely be no need for grinding, because by placing non-prep veneers, we get the appropriate tooth size. Conversely, if your natural teeth are large, we would need to remove as much enamel as the veneer thickness (about 0.3mm) so as not to get oversized teeth.
Another dilemma for patients is which type of veneer to choose. Our suggestion is that, whenever possible, they are made of ceramic materials. Such preparations require a longer production time, including taking an impression and the work of a dental laboratory. They more faithfully copy the aesthetic characteristics of natural teeth, they are more resistant and long-lasting.
Depending on the skills of the dentist, composite veneers can also give excellent aesthetic results. Their big advantage is that they can be done in one visit to the dentist and that they are cheaper than ceramic ones. Before starting to make veneers, it is useful for the patient to do the so-called digital smile design – computer image measurements of current and final size, position, shape and symmetry of teeth. This “tool” is loved and gladly accepted by patients, and it helps us dentists to plan properly and achieve the most perfect results.
No prep veneers, of course, can’t help with larger overlaps or rotating teeth. In such situations, we suggest different solutions. Also, no prep veneers cannot be done on people who are bruxists (there is a gnashing or clenching of the teeth) or on those who have pronounced bite irregularities.
They say that our surroundings and our interlocutors first notice the smile and then the eyes. Start a new day happy and smiling!‚
Lumineers
Lumineers are very thin ceramic veneers that are fixed to the front surface of the teeth with the help of special cements without any or with minimal grinding of enamel. Lumineers are products of an American company and are installed by certified dentists.
They are made of a particularly strong and resistant type of ceramic, which allows them to be thin and long-lasting. The manufacturer gives a 10-year warranty on them, although in practice it has been shown that they can last much longer.
Advantages of lumineers:
- white and straight teeth
- without grinding teeth
- high strength
- extremely strongly attached to the tooth
- 10 year manufacturer’s warranty
- the whole work can be completed in just 2 visits
- the possibility of a photoshop for the patient to see the end result
With lumineers, you can consume the food you are used to because they are very firmly cemented for your teeth.
If you have a slightly irregular tooth arrangement, it is possible to solve the problem with lumineers. However, if the irregularity is pronounced and if you need orthodontic therapy, and you do not want the braces to be seen on your teeth, we recommend an “invisible” lingual fixed device.