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Porcelain, Ceramic and Zirconia Veneers
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Porcelain Veneers, also referred to as dental laminates are a cost effective way
of correcting misaligned, chipped and broken teeth. Placement and shaping of the
veneers requires a balance of skill and artistry, so selecting a well qualified
cosmetic dentist is key to successful results
Porcelain, Ceramic and Zirconia Veneers are custom-made shells made to fit precisely
over the entire front (facial) surface of the tooth. They are permanently bonded
to the tooth surface by special resin cements, making them extremely strong and
durable.
A porcelain, ceramic or Zirconia veneer is indicated when the entire front (facial)
surface of the tooth needs a facelift. However the tooth structure must be relatively
intact, because veneers only adhere to sound, natural enamel. If a tooth were fractured
severely, then an all porcelain-type crown would be a better choice.
Porcelain Veneers are made by a dental laboratory from an impression (mold) taken
after preparation of the tooth in the dental office in exactly the same way crowns
are made. Thus veneers can be custom colorized to achieve a superior esthetic result.
With proper home care veneers can last for years with no replacement. However, it
is very important to maintain good oral hygiene, and to avoid bad habits such as
chewing ice or biting fingernails in order to ensure that your veneers will last
you many years.
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Patient Examples
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Mike one day with the help of his friends that work in the dental industry, decided
to get his teeth fixed. Many of the front teeth had odd shapes, and were misaligned
as well.
He consulted Dr. Stewart about them, and they put together a game plan, going over
the available materials, and selecting the right color shades and shapes that complemented
his facial structure.
He spread the work out across a couple months, the first being the uppers and the
next being the lowers.
The results ended up being beyond Mike's expectations. His friends were shocked
as well, and he still receives compliments to this date.
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"I was really bothered by my teeth for a long time. Everyone in my family has bad
teeth, so for years I just accepted it. One night clubbing with my friends, I said
that’s it, I'm getting my teeth fixed. It's the best move I've ever made."
Mike
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Holly is an aspiring model, who made some good money in her early assignments. She
decided that investing money in her teeth would be a worthy investment for her career,
increasing her chances of getting better paying jobs.
She booked the appointment and received consultation for laminates, selecting the
shape and color of each tooth until she was satisfied with the way the wax model
looked.
She chooses to have the installation done all at one time, to avoid any embarrassment
which may occur from half a job.
Getting her teeth fixed was the icing on the cake for Holly.
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"Anyone can just get a makeover with hair and cosmetics, but my teeth are the signature
of my looks."
Holly
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Advanced Materials and Fabrication
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In the past, veneers were hand sculptured by very skilled dental technicians out
of a variety of materials, to create very fine looking results. Today, the trend
is rapidly building towards Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) milling machines
that can take a small block of material and mill it into a tooth that is so lifelike;
it's hard to tell the difference. The tooth is modeled on the computer in 3D, and
saved as a computer file for later use and milling.
The materials being used today are almost as strong as a natural tooth, with the
tradeoff being that they are resistant to staining. One of the more popular materials
is Zirconium Dioxide, which is a white luminescent powder in which additives such
as magnesium oxide (MgO), yttrium (Y2O3) calcium oxide (CaO) and cerium (III) oxide
are added to create Zirconia. It is considered a ceramic, with excellent heat dissipating
characteristics, scratch resistance, and is transparent to radio signals.
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Nobel Biocare's Procera Laminate, is a thin, all-ceramic shell, custom-made to fit
over your discolored or chipped tooth.
They have brilliant luminous properties and look just like your natural teeth.
They are milled on a CNC just like the Zirconia, and offer superior precision fit
and detail. Strength no longer has to be compromised to achieve extreme esthetics.
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Zirconia Veneers are the latest in dental technology, and are now offered from 3M
ESPE. Our center has been trained and certified in the molding and installation
of this new generation of material.
Zirconia Veneers are taken from a mold, and a Computer CNC Machine mills out the
veneer with much higher levels of detail, precision and fit.
Zirconia Veneers last much longer, and are stronger and more chip resistant They
are also resistent to staining as well, so if your a smoker, or tea and coffee drinker,
these are the ones you'll want to select.
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Case Studies
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We have several case studies, or before and after pictures to show to you below.
These particular case studies have been provided by Nobel Biocare. We will add more
case studies later on in 2009.
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