Types of Veneers- research your options

By Sarah Leavitt, Medical Research EditorLast modified: March 28, 2011

Types of Veneers

The two main types of veneers are composite resin and porcelain. Regardless of the type you receive, your dental veneers will be custom-made to fit directly with your teeth. After your dentist ensures you are a good candidate for veneers, he or she will discuss the different types and the veneer procedure for implementing them. Be sure to ask about the risks and side effects of veneers.

Dental veneers allow people to feel great about their smiles by making teeth white, bright and well-aligned. Your dentist will help advise you on which type of veneers is best for your needs. Bear in mind that the type of veneer you receive can influence your overall cost of veneers.

PORCELAIN VENEERS
Porcelain veneers are thin, glasslike strips of porcelain that cover blemishes in a tooth. Porcelain veneers are the more popular type of veneer used today because they are more durable and longer-lasting. Porcelain is not subject to decay. Consequently, porcelain veneers are also more expensive than their composite counterparts.

COMPOSITE VENEERS
Composite veneers are made from a filing material of composite resin. Like porcelain veneers, composite veneers are customized to fit directly onto your teeth. Unlike porcelain, however, composite veneers are not usually made in a dental laboratory but are fitted onto your teeth at the time of bonding. In some cases, composite veneers require a shorter veneer procedure as the tooth surface does may not need trimming.

Composite veneers are a better solution for patients concerned about costs. Composite veneers are less expensive and quicker than porcelain veneers.

LUMINEERS
Lumineers are an alternative to traditional veneers that similarly correct for flaws in the teeth. Lumineeers are thinner strips of glass-like porcelain designed to last twenty years. Unlike veneers, lumineers are reversible because the procedure itself is much simpler.

Receiving Lumineers requires an initial consultation where the dentist takes a mold of your mouth to fabricate your Lumineers. You will receive your customized Lumineers in your second appointment when your dentist will secure the fit and the shade to ensure they blend naturally with your teeth. Lumineers are thinner (about 0.2 millimeters compared to 0.5 millimeters of veneers) so they do not require trimming down the tooth that veneers do. Some people prefer lumineers for the simple and shorter procedure required to implement them.

Find a dentist offering veneers to learn which type of veneers is best for you.

To learn more about Dental Veneers, contact Dentists near you.

Lumineers

Lumineers are a super-thin, reversible and pain-free alternative to traditional dental veneers.

Everybody knows that a beautiful smile can light up a room. Even if yours could use some changing, at least now you don’t have to make the commitment to permanent dental veneers. Lumineers have the ability to correct flaws, reshape, and create the same superstar smile that veneers can, minus the pain and damage to your own teeth.

Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers are thin, durable, custom-made shells designed to cover the front of the teeth for permanent aesthetic improvement.

Nobody should have to feel embarrassed about their smile. Most people have a thing or two they’d like to change about the appearance of their teeth, but if you are searching for a total-smile makeover, then porcelain veneers may be the perfect solution. Porcelain veneers are able to transform any set of teeth into the smile of a superstar.

Composite Veneers

Composite veneers are a more affordable and less-invasive alternative to porcelain veneers.

Most people have at least a few flaws in their smile, but thanks to modern technology, these imperfections can be erased with a variety of different treatments and procedures. If you are looking to tweak just a few things with fast results, then composite veneers may be right for you.