The field of dentistry has made a number of advances in the recent years. Dental veneers are one such advancement. These are used to correct a number of cosmetic dental problems such as chipped or broken teeth, minor misalignments and discolorations. Dental veneers are very popular because they provide effective results. Once installed, they will have a long life if proper care is taken. However, on the minus side, veneers are a little costly and require the services of a cosmetic dentist to be installed.

Dental veneers are made from porcelain. Porcelain is used because its properties are very similar to that of natural enamel. Both enamel and porcelain are slightly translucent. When light falls on the enamel layer, it penetrates it and gets reflected by the underlying dentine layer. Because of this reason, natural teeth have a very unique luster. Veneers have the same appearance as normal teeth.

Veneers are installed by a surgical procedure that can last a few hours. First, a thin layer of enamel is removed from the teeth. In other words, teeth are ground down. This is done to give the veneers a better grip over the teeth and to make them look proportional. In the second step, temporary veneers are placed over the teeth. Permanent veneers are manufactured in a dental laboratory. They are manufactured in such a way that they look very similar to surrounding teeth. Temporary veneers are then removed and permanent veneers are placed.

Dental veneers are comparatively costly. They can cost as much as $750-$2000 per tooth. The cost will depend on the quality of material. Cheaper veneers are made from blocks of porcelain using a machine. On the other hand, costly veneers are made by hand. They are made in such a way that they appear very similar to surrounding teeth. They are better option if you can afford them.

There are alternatives to dental veneers. One such alternative is Lumineers. Lumineers are a special type of dental veneers which are made from a dental-quality porcelain known as Cerinate. Lumineers are cheaper and at the same time are also more advantageous. The procedure to install them is much simpler. If you have to choose between conventional veneers and Lumineers, it is always better to opt for the latter.