porcelain veneers
what are porcelain veneers?
Porcelain veneers are wafer-thin (0.3mm-1.0mm) semi-translucent shells of hand-made, layered glass porcelain that closely mimic the natural structure and appearance of your real teeth. these delicate restorations are extremely technique-sensitive and involve a complex sequence of steps to be completed with precision and attention to detail.
dr lazaris’ name is synonymous with porcelain veneers internationally, and patients from across the world make the journey to have him work his craft in enhancing their smiles.
Porcelain veneers are the ideal solution for improving the appearance of your smile by enhancing the shape, size and proportions of your teeth and restoring balance and harmony to your smile.
are porcelain veneers right for you?
Whether your smile needs a refresh or a complete redo, then porcelain veneers, either as a standalone, or part of a multifaceted treatment plan, can be the ideal way to improve your smile by changing the shape and proportions of your teeth and restoring their strength and integrity to that of pristine, undamaged, (virgin) natural teeth,
but…
If your teeth are crowded and/or discoloured and you want a quick fix to make them look straight, then think again. The more crowded the teeth are, the more they need to be reduced and the more damage they sustain. Not only that, but they’ll never look or feel natural, and everything, including the appearance, the health of your teeth and gums, and the longevity of the veneers is compromised.
Successful veneer treatment dictates that the teeth are essentially in the right positions, and at least close to the desired colour for them to have a chance at success, so there might be some more steps involved.
what's involved?
Smile design. It all starts here.
The smile design process is your guarantee that the outcome you desire and expect is exactly what’s delivered. Every stage of treatment is guided by the smile design that you have already approved, so you know exactly what your veneers will look like before we start. There are no surprises and no doubt that the result will match, if not exceed your expectations.
Preparation. Less is more. Veneers should be minimally invasive and require precise and microscopic tooth reduction (0.1-0.5mm).
Why is this important?
Because preserving enamel is key to aesthetic and functional success in the long term. At next level dentistry all preparation of teeth is guided by 3D printed templates and performed under 10 x magnification to ensure the absolute minimum tooth reduction is performed. it’s a lot easier for the dentist and the ceramist to have more room to work with by reducing the teeth a lot more, but is irreversibly destructive to the natural tooth and compromises every facet of treatment; the health of your teeth, the aesthetic outcome and the longevity of your veneers.
the details
Hand-layered porcelain veneers require weeks of intricate and detailed craftsmanship from our dedicated team of world-class ceramists and are true works of art. Down to the microscopic details. We look to nature as our guide; just like natural teeth, each veneer is built in layers of varying shades, translucency, reflectivity and vibrance. The devil is in the details.
Your veneers are designed, prescribed and directed by dr lazaris personally before being delegated to his ceramists to ensure they meet his exacting standards. Each case is subjected to detailed scrutiny and validated by dr lazaris before being fitted as part of our rigorous and unique quality assurance protocol. When fitted, your veneers are further individualised by characteristics that will make your new smile uniquely yours and make you feel like it’s part of you and your identity.
A truly beautiful smile should be subtle and not draw attention to itself, and our measure of success for our veneers is to create a smile that compliments you and your appearance without being noticed.
how long do they last?
Porcelain veneers are amongst the most durable restorations in dentistry, boasting long-term survival rates of 93% after 10 years, and 80% at 20 years
but….
Long term success depends very much on 3 important factors:
Preservation of enamel. If veneers are bonded to enamel, then we’re substituting like for like..that’s why tooth positioning and minimal tooth reduction are so important
If you grind your teeth at night, and/or during the day, then failure rates double. That’s why we insist every patient that gets veneers, also gets a grinding guard to protect them
The operator. Ultimately the success of your veneers is going to depend most heavily on who you choose to do them.
