Veneers - Methods

Veneers, also known by the term veneer crowns, are thin, translucent, cosmetic onlays made of ceramic (or, less commonly, plastic) that are bonded to the frontal area of the tooth in order to achieve a uniform and aesthetically pleasing set of teeth. Unlike other dental crowns, cosmetic onlays do not cover the entire tooth, just the visible, lightly debuffed frontal area of the tooth - existing healthy tooth material can be retained for the most part. Veneer technology is especially appropriate for the correction of defective positioning, dental gaps, deformities, carious damage, discoloration, or defects in the enamel of the incisor teeth (dentes incisivi), canine teeth (dentes canini), premolar teeth (dentes praemolares), or entire rows of teeth.

Because the affected teeth only need to be lightly debuffed, this type of treatment is referred to as "minimally invasive"; that is to say, it is a medical intervention with minimal detriment to the body part to be treated as well as the surrounding area.

There are two distinct advantages to veneers: one, the aesthetically superior results that can be achieved, thereby contributing to the lasting attractiveness of the facial features; and two, the gentle handling of the dental material during treatment.¹ The cost of the installation of veneers is normally not covered by health insurance.²