Preparation of teeth for veneers - preparation stage for installation of veneers

Not all people can boast of perfect teeth, despite the fact that the standard of living is now much higher than in previous years and even centuries. Hereditary diseases, drug abuse, and injuries can sometimes cause problems and make smiles look unhealthy and unattractive.

But now such troubles can be dealt with with the help of veneers - thin plates that cover minor defects on the front of the teeth and correct their aesthetics. Installation of such overlays often requires preparation of the enamel, which does not seem like a wasteful action.

Benefits of veneers

All those shortcomings that dentists previously proposed to correct by installing crowns are now quite successfully masked with veneers. This:

Cracks and chips in enamel;
Darkening, spots;
Areas with erosion of tooth enamel;
Tetracycline teeth;
Uneven cutting edges;
A slight rotation of the tooth around the central axis, etc.

Emax veneers are considered the best aesthetic solution in microdental prosthetics. The surface of plates made of artificial material of natural origin reliably imitates the transparency, shine and color of human enamel, so those around them perceive the teeth as “native”.

Do you want to get professional advice on veneers?

Always at your service - Sergey Samsakov, orthopedic dentist with more than 10 years of successful experience, Moscow. Expert in 3D digital smile modeling, veneers and CEREC technology.

Patients come to me from all over Russia:

Why is preparation necessary?

Orthopedic treatment often requires the dentist to resort to grinding of the enamel. Such pre-treatment ensures the most durable attachment of the prosthesis to the surface of the tooth and its hermetically sealed coating. A few years ago, the procedure was painful and traumatic, which scared patients away and left bad memories. Nowadays, enamel preparation is performed using minimally invasive methods, using high-tech equipment, quickly and without experiencing painful sensations.

Nevertheless, patients continue to express concerns and ask whether this step can be avoided when installing veneers. However, in the vast majority of cases it is unlikely to be possible to completely avoid preparation. The reason is the high requirements for the quality of contact between the plate and the tooth. The surface of the enamel is never perfectly smooth; there are always microscopic tubercles, grooves, and depressions. If the veneer does not fit tightly, these cavities become the focus of bacterial masses.

In addition, the enamel is removed before the veneer is placed to reduce the final thickness of the tooth. When a plate is applied without preliminary preparation, the tooth will become larger and more massive, which will not beautify the smile and cause functional discomfort to the person.

The third reason for preparation will be a large amount of carious tissue. To eliminate the possibility of further damage to the tooth under the veneer shield, they will need to be removed.

But under some circumstances, when installing veneers, the dentist leaves the patient’s teeth intact.

Disadvantages of installing plates without turning

Veneers without grinding have a number of disadvantages. These include: increased tooth thickness, which seriously affects aesthetics, the risk of serious problems during wear, and the impossibility of eliminating all defects.

In order for the veneers to adhere better, the surface of the enamel must first be etched with a special acid, as a result of which its appearance will be seriously and irreversibly changed. In the future, plates will definitely have to be installed on such teeth. The small thickness of lumineers cannot completely hide all shape defects.

Preliminary grinding ensures the creation of a smooth and high-quality transition into dental tissue. Installation without grinding provokes the formation of caries, plaque accumulation and gum inflammation.

When preparation for veneers is not necessary

Preparation of enamel is practically not required if a person has direct veneers made from composite mass. This is a special type of correction of the external surface, when the doctor layers a special material on the enamel. The procedure is performed in one clinic visit. However, composite veneers delivered without any treatment are still a rather rare case.

Ceramic veneers are made in a dental laboratory using a synthetic impression. Here it is important to tightly and firmly attach the plate to the tooth tissue, so grinding down the enamel is a necessity.

Exceptions to the rules when tooth preparation will only harm quality veneering:

Visual correction of tooth rotation is assumed;
Severe initial wear of the enamel;
There are irregularities in the cutting edge of the tooth;
The vestibular surface of the tooth requires thickening.

When installing any types of veneers - ceramics, porcelain, composite - you will have to remove the enamel if it is destroyed by caries. It is impossible to preserve the pathology under the veneer.

In exceptional cases, for example, when restoring a missing tooth wall, preparation as such is not performed. The doctor simply adds some roughness to the enamel so that the plate clings better to the surface being corrected.

Veneer installation is a painless procedure

If you have any worries about pain, throw them away! You won’t feel anything, because everything is done under anesthesia, and you may even have time to watch your favorite movie, if, of course, extensive work is expected. In practice, it has been shown that the process of installing veneers is hardly longer than working with a conventional filling, and the “reconstruction” of all 32 teeth will take 4-5 hours.

What happens if you install an Emax veneer without grinding?

A doctor who cares about his own reputation will never agree to glue a veneer without preparation if he is absolutely sure that treatment is necessary. The patient should trust a qualified specialist to be satisfied with the result. Let's try to imagine what will happen if you put a veneer on a solid tooth in violation of the technology requirements:

Significant darkening will remain visible even through the surface of the Emax veneer. Thin lumineers are especially translucent, so even when choosing these expensive porcelain onlays, turning is sometimes required.
Despite the relatively small thickness of the ceramic plate, it still looks bulky on unprepared teeth: it adds volume, looks unnatural, and sometimes even interferes with articulation and chewing of food.
A ledge often forms above the Emax veneer, near the gums, where plaque and bacteria accumulate. Pathogenic flora is also able to penetrate between the surface of the tooth and the plate itself. In such gaps it develops unhindered, causing caries and its complications.

Many patients are misled by advertising articles that say that it is possible to remove Emax veneers from unground enamel and thereby return the teeth to their natural appearance. This statement is erroneous, since veneers made from this material are relatively thick, and therefore always require paring, unlike ultra-thin veneers without grinding Luxneers and American lumineers (Lumineers).

Service price

Services for installing veneers with minimal grinding are provided by the best orthopedic dentists in Moscow. The cost of veneers with minimal grinding of teeth directly depends on the level of the clinic, the professionalism of the doctor and the selected material. This also includes the work of dental technicians and medical personnel.

The high cost is justified by the need for careful work to recreate the transparency of the enamel and its microrelief, the complexity of color transfer and restoration of the tooth structure.
Highly artistic veneers, invisible in the oral cavity, which look absolutely natural, cannot cost 30 thousand
rubles.
The price of such products starts from 50-60 thousand rubles. for one unit. Records made from aesthetic materials made in America will cost even more, however, they will last at least 15 years.

Preparation methods

The latest methods of grinding down enamel to install artificial overlays involve gentle processing technology and high-precision equipment.

Laser method

A beam of polarized light acts on the hard tissues of the tooth. The moisture contained in them evaporates, and many hydraulic shocks occur, as a result of which the enamel is destroyed.

The advantages of the technique are the speed of impact, the absence of pain and the silent operation of the laser system. It is no secret that the buzzing of a drill is considered one of the most unpleasant auditory stimuli. There is no need for preliminary sanitation of the oral cavity, because the laser perfectly burns out all microflora in the treated areas.

It should be noted that working with a laser requires a steady hand and high qualifications from the dentist, and the professionalism of a specialist is usually well paid. In addition, laser treatment is superficial. If, for example, caries penetrates deep into the enamel, additional exposure will be required.

Ultrasonic treatment of enamel

Ultrasonic treatment of enamel also does not involve preliminary anesthesia - except in extreme cases, with tooth hypersensitivity. Under such exposure, tissues do not overheat and are not destroyed excessively - only within the required limits. Many doctors consider ultrasound as most appropriate in preparation for veneering.

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Chemical treatment of teeth

Preparation of enamel using this technology includes treating teeth with softening pastes. As a result, the outer tissue is easily removed. The disadvantage of this method is the duration of the procedure: the chemical composition requires time to act, approximately 30 minutes.

The advantages are significant:

Painless;
No overheating or thermal injury to tissues;
The risk of excess enamel chipping and cracks is eliminated.

Tunnel preparation method

Grinding using this method will require the use of a special turbine unit. The doctor uses a multi-speed bur with a diamond tip. This treatment is used more often than others and allows for extremely precise control of the degree and depth of impact on the enamel.

The disadvantages of the procedure include pain (anesthesia is required) and increased requirements for equipment. The turbine greatly overheats the tooth tissue. If the device does not have a special cooling device, the patient will be injured. If you work carelessly with a bur, damage to soft tissues is possible - the dentist should not be distracted by anything while working.

Air abrasive method

This method is used only for treating the outer layers of tooth enamel and is used in combination with other methods. The principle of operation of a special installation is to influence the tooth with abrasive powder ejected under pressure. The enamel is removed painlessly and quickly. In this case, it is possible to avoid excessive heating of the organ tissues.

The choice of tooth preparation technology can be planned in advance during a consultation with a doctor. Not every clinic has the full range of equipment; the condition of the patient’s oral cavity and his individual reaction to the technique are also taken into account.

List of distinctive features that may influence the choice during installation:

The most budget option is composite, which are made, as a rule, from filling material at the time of direct installation. In terms of time, their installation is the most efficient and it is enough to visit the dentist’s chair once. As part of the procedure, the enamel is not worn down, but their use is often limited to just improving the appearance of one or two teeth, since the service life is much less than ceramic ones.
Ceramic - are the most popular due to their reasonable cost and maximum naturalness. It is important to know that to improve appearance and comfort, ultra-thin veneers are now being installed, which allows the gap to be reduced to 0.3 mm. At the same time, there are a number of advantages, for example, you will not have the fear that during an important dinner, interview or even a fight you will lose the fullness of your smile, since high-quality materials are used, which ensure 10-12 years of service! In addition, the less preparation a tooth goes through, the more durable it will be.

Stages of preparation for Emax veneers

Making horizontally directed depressions on the vestibular part of the tooth, which determine the extent of penetration into the enamel. The depth is controlled using a diamond bur. The treatment boundary is prepared to the gum, including the lateral surfaces.
Carefully remove the enamel layer to a depth of no more than 1 mm. Sometimes it is necessary to thoroughly intervene in living tissue if the carious lesion is extensive. The integrity of the cutting edge of the teeth is also affected.
The prepared area is polished, coated with a degreasing agent, thoroughly washed and dried. Before the final installation of the veneer, the tooth surface is etched with a special chemical composition that increases the adhesion of the surface to the prosthetic material.

Veneers and teeth grinding are the main problems

With the help of veneers, aesthetic and functional problems are solved. They change the shape of teeth, eliminate unevenness in the enamel, hide yellowness and pigmentation, the presence of old fillings, external defects, and reduce large gaps between teeth. Installing veneers not only restores your smile to its lost beauty, but also rejuvenates your face.

Although the thickness of veneers ranges from 0.2 mm-0.5 mm, they are considered very reliable and have little wear. Thin plates must have a high density of contact with the tooth. This requires preliminary grinding. This procedure often becomes an insurmountable obstacle for patients who are candidates for veneers. How does the preparation process take place and does it really seriously harm the teeth?

Preparation for ceramic veneers

Ceramic veneers today are unrivaled if we analyze the demand for correction of the smile area with artificial overlays. Silicon oxide-based structures are durable, and their ability to reflect light rays is similar to the properties of natural enamel. Therefore, ceramic veneers are indistinguishable from real teeth.

The big advantage of these products is their resistance to staining and oxidation by food compounds, as well as a long service life compared to composite plates.

There is no single preparation algorithm for the installation of artificial onlays. The process is invariably individual and will differ for each patient. The procedure depends on the type of veneer - direct or indirect, on the location of the tooth in the patient’s mouth, on the presence of carious lesions and the volume of fillings.

Failures are not excluded in veneering. One of the factors of poor aesthetics of installed plates is improper preparation of the enamel. This is done in two ways:

An indirect method used when installing similar veneers. Such plates cover the entire outer surface of the tooth, so it is important to remove the enamel so that the adhesion of the veneer and the prepared surface occurs perfectly. If the layer is removed too finely, the effect of horse teeth is possible, when the veneer makes the tooth visually massive and unnatural.
The direct method is used when placing direct composite veneers. Here, it is often not necessary to completely remove the enamel; it is enough to expose individual areas.

There is no need to worry about preparing the enamel before installing the veneer. Today, the action is performed carefully in relation to living tissues and is completely painless. A thoughtful choice of clinic and specialist will be the key to high-quality installation of veneers and your healthy and beautiful smile.

Zirconium dioxide veneers

Zirconium veneers are highly durable and can withstand the most severe loads. The microprosthesis frame is made from zirconium blocks and then covered with ceramic mass to achieve maximum naturalness and aesthetics of the veneers. One of the disadvantages of zirconium veneers is their high cost.

The cost of a zirconium veneer for one tooth in Moscow is 50,000 rubles.

Knowing the cost of one microprosthesis, you can estimate the cost of installing veneers on the teeth whose appearance you want to change. Typically, restoration with veneers is done only in the smile zone, which includes 10 upper teeth and 8 lower teeth. But the best way to find out how much dental veneers cost is to visit your doctor's office for an examination and diagnosis!

Turning stages

Like any other orthopedic procedure, preparation includes several stages, each of which has its own subtleties during implementation. At the very beginning, the specialist examines the condition of the teeth and, if necessary, prescribes treatment. The fact is that if there is caries, veneers are not installed.

Standard preparation for veneers is carried out in six stages:

Preparation of the external (vestibular) surface. Using special diamond drills, the specialist applies shallow grooves horizontally to the surface of the tooth. The depth is calculated by determining the thickness of the hard tissue that needs to be removed, as well as the thickness of the artificial element that needs to be installed. After this, grinding is carried out to the required depth to create an absolutely flat surface. A ledge is made in the place where the tooth meets the gum, this will help fix the veneer as securely as possible. If the installation is carried out for cosmetic purposes, then a ledge is formed under the gum, in which case the tissue will not be visible.
Treatment of the approximal (contact) surface. At this stage it is necessary to move to the front or inner surface of the teeth. If the front zone is ground, then vertical grooves of half a millimeter are formed on the tooth. In this case, it is possible to maintain the integrity of the row and not disturb the contact points between hard tissues. If the boundaries are brought to the inside, then it is necessary to block the contact paths. This technique is used if it is necessary to correct the shape or size of a tooth.
Preparation of incisal edges can be done in two ways: overlapping or preserving the edge. In the first case, turning is carried out by 0.5-1 millimeter, and in the second it is supposed to only lightly sand the surface.
Turning of the palatal (inner) surface is carried out if necessary. The main action in this procedure is to determine the boundary of the artificial element and the depth of grinding; only correct preparation will ensure reliable fixation. It should be taken into account that the border should not pass at the point where the teeth meet, otherwise the prosthesis will be unstable, which means there is a risk of frequent chipping.
Finishing processing. This stage is considered the final stage; it includes processing the tooth surface using a fine diamond drill, as well as a polishing head. In addition, sharp corners and edges are ground and all existing irregularities are eliminated.
Sanitation using water, antiseptic and degreasing agents that are used to rinse the oral cavity.

Since dentures of this type have a fairly long service life, it varies from 10 to 15 years, it is best to contact an experienced specialist who has undergone special training. This is due to the fact that improper treatment of teeth will not allow the elements to be installed efficiently, and therefore will reduce their aesthetic characteristics. In addition, poorly performed turning significantly reduces the service life of veneers.

What does your ideal smile consist of?

Many people are now wondering where the “exorbitant” price tags for this procedure come from. I will clearly explain why you shouldn’t do yourself a disservice and go along with many supposedly tempting offers. Please try now to think about what makes up the “Hollywood smile” of our clients. Firstly, these are high-quality materials, which we discussed in detail just above, secondly, this is the maintenance of expensive equipment, thanks to which neither your hand will slip, nor you will be afraid of just the sight, and finally, this is the work of your humble servants: we - qualified dentists, surgeons, implantologists, orthodontists and, of course, anesthetics, so that when you leave the office you can fully enjoy the result and your appearance without experiencing pain or discomfort.

Another important argument in favor of veneers

The fact that installing veneers makes your smile perfect is obvious - now we are only talking about the ratio of possible risks and benefits.

Veneers require careful attention to your teeth.

Before the installation itself, it is necessary to treat all foci of caries, even the most insignificant and unnoticeable ones. And after that, maintain hygiene more carefully than before: cleaning with an irrigator and professional hygiene every six months is recommended. This contributes to the preservation of dental health rather than the development of diseases.

Veneers make you take care of your teeth.

Although caring for them is no different from caring for natural teeth, nevertheless, after such an aesthetic procedure, the motivation to maintain the result increases.

All over the world, veneers (in their modern sense) have been installed for almost 40 years. During this time, sufficient experience has been accumulated: dentists have come to the unanimous opinion that such aesthetic dental restoration is recommended to everyone, unless there are contraindications. Of course, if the procedure was harmful and caused the need for prosthetics in the future, this relationship would have already been discovered. It would be unprofitable to install veneers, because treatment and implantation are expensive. Nevertheless, many clinics offer the service, often with a guarantee of 10 years or more. The main thing is that the veneers are installed with high quality, then there will be no harm or disruption of the function of the teeth.