Dental laminates can be used to give a subtle and permanent solution to discoloured and chipped teeth, while also closing the gaps which cannot be corrected with orthodontics.

Our porcelain veneers Orpington are thin layers of hand crafted ceramics, which are permanently bonded to the front of a tooth.

What are dental bondings?

The very first dental overlays were crafted from acrylic and glued to the front of the teeth; these were impractical and temporary, and therefore not used outside of film sets. The challenges of a permanent laminate was how to successfully adhere porcelain to a tooth long term. Only in the 1980s was this solved, by etching both the underside of the porcelain prosthetic and the surfaces of the tooth. Then, a resin bonding agent could be used to fix the overlay in place for 10 to 30 years!  This has led to them being referred to as bondings.

Why use porcelain?

Our porcelain veneers Orpington are made to specification for each patient and have a natural translucent ‘tooth like’ quality. After colour matching, a single prosthetic can be indistinguishable from the rest of your teeth. Alternatively, a full set of veneers in a lighter or brighter shade can be used to provide a full dental makeover.

Bondings versus crowns

In many situations where crowns would have been used, the modern bondings we provide are an appropriate alternative. This allows us to save more of the original tooth, and allows more of the natural enamel to be retained in a less invasive procedure.

In situ bondings are formed by coating a tooth in dental resin, which is then sculpted by our dentist into its final form. They can be used to give structure to a badly damaged tooth and protect exposed dentine from further decay.

What is UV light bonding?

During the fitting stage of porcelain veneers Orpington, we will temporarily place and sculpt the laminate to the desired aesthetics. Only then will a resin be applied and cured with UV light, which permeates the thin laminate and ensures consistent and complete curing of the resin.

Looking after bondings

Veneering comes with some long-term maintenance. A 6 monthly check-up is still necessary to check the health and wellbeing of your mouth. Debonding can occur, but assuming no damage or decay has occurred, we can happily reattach the prosthetics. Cavities can still form around the edges of a bonding and encroach underneath them.

The porcelain laminates are more stain resistant than enamel. In smokers, red wine and coffee drinkers the laminate may become more obvious over time, and appear lighter than the teeth around it. This is not an issue if you have a full set of bondings, but is something that our dental hygienist can help with during a routine scale and polish. To find out more about porcelain veneers in Orpington or if they are an appropriate treatment option for you, a consultation will be necessary. Please feel free to contact us to take your first steps towards a new smile.