Crowns and other extra-coronal restorations: Porcelain laminate veneers

Key Points The development of porcelain veneers Longevity and factors affecting it Tooth preparation, and management of existing restorations Impression recording and temporisation (in those few cases which require it) Try in, bonding and finishing Non-standard porcelain veneers Key Points Crowns and extra-coronal restorations: Changing patterns and the need for quality Materials considerations Pre-operative assessment Endodontic considerations Jaw registration and articulator selection Aesthetic control Cores for teeth with vital pulps Preparations for full veneer crowns Provisional restorations Impression materials and technique Try-in and cementation of crowns Porcelain veneers Resin bonded metal restorations Porcelain veneers are resin-bonded to the underlying tooth and provide a conservative method of improving appearance or modifying contour, without resorting to a full coverage crown. The porcelain laminate veneer is now a frequently prescribed restoration for anterior teeth. The sums spent by the Dental Practice Board on this type of treatment increased from quarter of a million pounds in 1988/89 to over seven million in 1994/95, 1 representing some 113,582 treatments. Since that time the number has stabilised at over 100,000 veneers prescribed each year. 2 The objective of this paper is to give a practical guide on providing these restorations.