Bonding and veneers are procedures that can enhance the look of healthy teeth, and also assist the appearance of damaged or misshapen teeth. Both procedures involve the use of manmade materials to improve aesthetic.
Bonding is the least invasive of the two procedures and is done to change colouration of teeth or to alter tooth shape or spacing between teeth. The material used is a tooth-coloured composite resin. The surface of the tooth to be bonded is first prepared by texturing the surface, before the resin application is done. A roughened tooth surface is produced for better adhesion of the resin. The resin is then formed to the intended shape and cured with a high-intensity light. Colour matching is done carefully by the dentist.
Veneers are very thin covers that are placed on the front surface of the tooth. They can be made of porcelain or composite resin, with the former type being stronger, longer lasting, and more resistant to staining. Porcelain veneers are also more costly than the composite type and require several visits for application, versus a single visit to apply composite veneers.
With porcelain veneer application, a small amount of the tooth’s front surface is removed to create adequate space for the veneer. Custom porcelain veneers are made from an impression taken of the prepped teeth and temporary veneers are worn until the porcelain ones are produced. At the patient’s next visit to the office, the temporary veneers are removed and the tooth surface is roughened, as with the bonding process. The permanent porcelain veneers are then individually glued to the teeth using strong adhesive.
Those with tooth decay or gum disease are less suitable candidates for veneers, and these underlying conditions should be treated beforehand. Uneven or misaligned teeth should be corrected before veneers are considered.
Those with significant enamel loss may not have enough enamel thickness left to properly attach veneers. In this case, crowns would be a better option. Veneers may be damaged by grinding or clenching of teeth, and a night guard would be advisable in this case. Since enamel is removed from the tooth surface before placement of veneers, it is not a reversible process. Damaged veneers will need to be replaced. Applied to healthy teeth, however, veneers may increase the overall strength of teeth.