Cosmetic Dentistry Blog

All porcelain veneers are thin layers of ceramic that are bonded to the front part of the teeth. However, that is not the end of the story. There are still some very dramatic differences between different types of veneers. There are many different brands of veneers being marketed to dentists and consumers, but there are really only two main types of veneers: pressed veneers and layered veneers.

Pressed porcelain veneers are fabricated in an industrial-type process. The process begins with a mold of the prepared teeth. Wax is used to mock up the shape of the veneers. Then a new mold is made around the wax, which is then melted out. After the wax is removed, the space is filled with a leucite-based molten porcelain that is forced into it with a dental press. As the porcelain cools and hardens, it shrinks, but the press maintains constant pressure so that eventually the entire space is completely filled with solid porcelain.

Feldspathic porcelain veneers are fabricated in an artistic process. Once the model of your teeth is taken, and provisional veneers are accepted that give your teeth the ideal size and shape, the master ceramicist gets to work crafting your veneers by hand. A platinum foil, only 0.001 inch thick, is used as a base as layers of porcelain powder are painted into place. Each layer is custom-selected to give your veneers the appropriate balance of translucency and color to make them ideal restorations for your smile, and as each layer is fired the ceramicist checks the teeth to make sure they look just right.

There are some people for whom pressed porcelain veneers might be the right choice, but at Art of the Smile, we give our customers only the best possible restorations and that includes hand-crafted feldspathic porcelain veneers. If you want a true Hollywood smile, don't settle for press-molded veneers. Instead, get the veneers that are true works of art.

To learn more about the advantages of feldspathic porcelain veneers, contact Dr. Brock Tekin today for a consultation.