Dental Laminates

What are Dental Laminates?

Dental laminates, also referred to as dental laminate veneers, are thin, smooth and shiny custom made shells that are placed on the surface of teeth to restore an aesthetically pleasing appearance to the smile. Dental laminates are bonded to the teeth’s surface to improve their shape, size, color, and appearance and unlike dental crowns only require the removal of a small part of the tooth.

Why are Dental Laminates performed?

Dental laminates are primarily performed to treat the physical deformities of the teeth. Dental laminates are performed to:

• Treat chipped or broken teeth.
• To fix uneven or misaligned teeth.
• To eliminate the gaps between the teeth.
• To create a new appealing smile.
• To permanently remove and prevent stains.

Stains caused by certain antibiotics or excess fluoride are unable to be resolved through teeth whitening and therefore require Dental Laminates to be inserted, which provide a permanent stainless teeth surface.

What are the conditions for Dental Laminates?

Patients might not be suitable for dental laminates if they suffer from:

• Insufficient or unhealthy gums
• Teeth grinding problem, bruxism
• A protruding lower jaw, prognathism
• Crooked teeth that require orthodontic treatment

Patients who do not have these listed conditions and wish to fix chipped, broken, uneven, or stained teeth are eligible for dental laminates.

What are the things to be considered before getting Dental Laminates?

The patient’s health history is taken, and it, along with additional information that may be requested, is examined to create a treatment plan for the patient. After the patient arrives in Turkey a thorough dental examination is made where the color of the dental laminates most appropriate for the patient’s teeth is chosen.

How are the Dental Laminates inserted?

Dental laminates usually require 2 to 3 visits to be fully inserted. The first appointment involves the teeth enamel being filed down approximately 0.5 - 1 mm to create space for the dental laminates. Measurements are then taken and a mold of the patient’s teeth and gums are taken. The second visit starts by an acidic gel being applied to the teeth and then the dental laminates being bonded to the teeth through the acidic gel. In some cases an additional visit might be required to check and make mild adjustments to the dental laminates.

First appointment usually takes up to half an hour while the second appointment, on average, takes 2 hours. Dental laminates, if taken care of properly, usually last 5 to 15 years.

What are the things to be considered after getting Dental Laminates?

Patients are recommended to diligently follow their cosmetic dentist’s instructions, which includes taking provided prescription medicine. The patients should also take care to avoid hard or sticky foods, including chewing gum, for at least the first 24 hours after the procedure. Patients are also recommended to be gentle while brushing their teeth for a week after the procedure. After the recovery period, the patients should care to keep good dental hygiene and avoid putting excess pressure on the teeth, through grinding or using teeth to open packaging for example. Otherwise the expected lifespan of the dental laminates might decrease.

What are the risks of Dental Laminates?

While dental laminates are considered a safe cosmetic dental procedure, like with any other major procedure, there is a risk of complications. Potential risks of dental laminates include, but are not limited to:

• Discomfort or excessive sensitivity to changes in temperature.
• The dental laminates chipping, getting loose, or dropping off, often as a result of excess physical pressure.
• An allergic reaction to the material dental laminates are made up of.
• Discoloration
• Gingivitis or other gum diseases
• Poorly fitted dental laminates may impact the balance of biting, leading to an increased risk of breakage, discomfort while eating, and stress on the jaw joints.