What Are Veneers Used For?

The discovery of veneers

Veneers were invented by a dentist practising in California, called Charles Pincus during the 1920s. During this time his veneers were only a very short-term solution for the aesthetic and functional improvement of teeth and smiles. His main use of veneers was to improve actors’ smiles aesthetically prior to their performances.

Later Charles Pincus improved his veneers by making them out of acrylic and by using adhesives that were normally used with dentures at the time. Unfortunately, despite the improvements, veneers were still only a short-term solution for improving smiles at this time. The lifetime of veneers has significantly improved with Michael Buonocore’s discovery of the possibility to bind porcelain veneers to enamels that have been etched beforehand, during the late 1950s.

Another major improvement in the longevity of veneers happened in the early 1980s. Scientists discovered that by using hydrofluoric acid to etch the porcelain veneers, permanent bonding of the veneers to composite is possible. With today’s technical improvements veneers can last up to 30 years, which makes them a great solution for improving smiles. If you are interested in getting veneers Bournemouth to improve your smile, get in touch with us.

What are veneers used for?

The term veneer refers to a sliver of material, quite often porcelain, which is layered over the surface of the tooth. Veneers are prepared by specialist dentists called cosmetic dentists. Veneers can be used to improve discoloured teeth if a patient has other conditions affecting the enamel, which would make teeth whitening inappropriate. In these instances, veneers are capable of both covering the discoloured surface and protecting the enamel from the occurrence of further damage.

Over years, teeth can naturally erode with ageing due to the enormous amounts of pressure exerted on them by chewing. Bruxism can also worsen this issue. The application of veneers can improve the appearance of eroded teeth and it can protect their surface from further damage. Conditions that affect the enamel often necessitate the use of veneers. These conditions include issues with enamel mineralisation or the lack of sufficient amounts of enamel. In these conditions, veneers protect the dentine and the tooth from temperature and pressure sensitivity. In certain cases, patients may wish to simply change the shape of some of their teeth due to aesthetic reasons. Veneers are a perfect solution for this. If you are interested in getting veneers Bournemouth, do not hesitate to get in touch with us. 

What are veneers made out of?

Veneers have been manufactured out of a wide range of materials throughout their history. Initially, veneers were made out of acrylic, however, this did not prove to be a resilient enough material to withstand the large amounts of pressure exerted on teeth. Today there are numerous different materials available for veneers, all of them with different indications. Ceramic is a popular material when it comes to veneers. Lithium disilicate is essentially thin and strong porcelain, which is used to make thinner veneers. Other materials include composite and nano-ceramic or stain-resistant MAC veneers.

If you are thinking about getting veneers Bournemouth, contact us to find out more!

AUTHOR

Dr Gareth Edwards BDS (Hons) MFDS RCPS (Glasg) qualified from dental school with honours. Working in the Bournemouth & Poole area, he has a particular interest in orthodontics and is a certified Invisalign provider.