Veneers have come a long way since the 1980s and 1990s when they were made of feldspathic porcelain, which is a very weak variety of porcelain. Today, veneers, such as empress veneers, are made from pressed ceramic porcelain, which is a lot stronger and requires little preparation before it’s applied.
Empress veneers are one of the several types of porcelain veneers used by dentists today in restorative procedures. Like other brands of porcelain veneers, they are thin, almost like the thickness of a fingernail and are applied by bonding to the tooth surface.
Due to their thinness, a dentist only needs to remove a very small layer of your tooth enamel before bonding empress veneers to your teeth. The porcelain material they are made of gives them a translucent appearance like that of natural teeth.
Applying empress veneers takes place in two stages:
First stage:
After your consultation, the dentist will prepare the surface of your teeth to get them ready to accept the veneers. Preparation involves taking off a very thin layer of enamel. Failure to take off enamel will make your teeth appear fake-looking and thick after the veneers have been applied.
After your teeth have been prepared, the dentist will then take a mold of your teeth that will be used to custom make empress veneers for you.
He will also fit you with temporary veneers to wear during the time when your empress veneers are being made at the lab. You will receive a call from the dentist’s office when your veneers are ready.
Second stage:
During this stage, your custom made empress veneers are bonded to your teeth. The dentist will start by removing the temporary ones. He will then prepare the surface as needed then use a bonding agent to secure the veneers to the front surface of the teeth.
The bonding agent not only creates a permanent connection between the veneers and the surface of your teeth, but also ensures longevity.
Why Empress veneers?
There are several types of porcelain veneers and dentists can use any one of them for varying reasons. Empress veneers are most preferred when there’s a need to restore several teeth at once. For instance, if you need to treat all your front teeth at the same time.
There are benefits of using empress veneers and these include:
- They have a more translucent appearance as compared to other veneers, giving a more tooth-like natural appearance.
- Their strength makes them suitable for lengthening teeth.
- They are a good option for closing diastemas (gaps in between the teeth)
- Their color is consistent in different types of lighting.
When it comes to getting great results with empress veneers, it has to start with the dentist you visit and the expertise of the laboratory used. Your dentist will recommend empress veneers for you if they are the best option for your case. As well, you should only visit a dentist who has access to a lab that specializes in making empress veneers.
