Recent advances in dentistry have led to an excellent alternative: dental veneers. This is a minimally invasive treatment that preserves tooth structure, offers outstanding aesthetics, is biocompatible, and provides high resistance and durability.

Veneers are a cosmetic treatment mainly performed to improve the appearance of the smile by modifying the shape, size, and color of the teeth. They are indicated and ideal for various clinical situations, such as:

• Closing gaps between teeth (diastemas)
• Improving the appearance of rotated or misaligned teeth
• Lengthening short teeth to a more aesthetic, harmonious, and proportionate size
• Correcting discolorations or stains caused by medications, fluorosis, aging, or trauma
• Treating cracks or superficial defects that damage or weaken the enamel

The main concern with this type of treatment is achieving a stable and functional occlusal relationship.

And, like any treatment, there are also contraindications or important considerations when selecting cases, such as:

• Evaluation of patients with parafunctional habits (such as bruxism), since they exert excessive pressure on veneers
• As with other restorations, there must be a healthy periodontium; in other words, the tissues that surround, protect, and support the teeth must be in good condition
• Assessment of any pre-existing discoloration, stains, or cavities
• Reviewing the condition of enamel and prior restorations
• Correcting habits such as nail biting, chewing on hard objects, teeth grinding, or using teeth as tools, to avoid veneer fracture

Porcelain Veneers and Resin Veneers: What Are They?

In short, porcelain veneers are ultra-thin shells that are bonded to the tooth surface through a cementation process.

Resin veneers consist of applying material directly onto the tooth, either by hand-sculpting the veneer or by injecting it with a guide previously made from a smile design.

Porcelain Veneers vs. Resin Veneers

Here’s a practical and simple list of the advantages and disadvantages of these two types of treatment:

Advantages of Porcelain Veneers

• Thanks to their components, they offer greater translucency, resistance, and bonding capacity
• They are highly aesthetic; by comparison, resin veneers require greater skill and experience from the professional to achieve similar results
• Greater durability, as the material’s properties are superior to resin
• More resistant to stains, since porcelain is non-porous and does not allow pigments from food or drinks to penetrate; resin veneers, on the other hand, are more prone to discoloration and wear

Disadvantages of Porcelain Veneers

• They are more expensive
• They require at least two appointments, since they are fabricated in a laboratory; resin veneers, however, can be completed directly in a single visit
• They cannot be repaired if damaged and must be replaced; resin veneers, in contrast, can be repaired

It is essential to carry out a prior evaluation and determine if the patient is a good candidate for this type of treatment.

And something very important: the success of the treatment largely depends on the patient’s attitude and motivation toward maintenance!