Properties

• Esthetic-the colour and translucency can match the natural teeth.
• The material is not easily stained.
• Hard and high in wear resistance.

Disadvantage

• Brittle and may fracture under heavy biting force.
• Certain amount of tooth substance has to be removed in order to achieve sufficient thickness for the strength of porcelain veneer.

Application

• Tooth veneer or crown.

• To restore teeth with high esthetic requirement, especially the front teeth.

  

Procedures for porcelain laminate veneer

• Remove a small amount of enamel from the facial surface of the tooth.
• Take impressions of the upper and lower teeth and record the bite.
• Fabricate the veneer in the dental laboratory.
• Clean the tooth surface before bonding the veneer.
• Etch the tooth surface and treat with diluted acid such as 30% phosphoric acid.

• Cement the veneer onto the tooth.

  

Procedures for porcelain crown

• Remove a layer of tooth substance.
• Take impressions of the upper and lower dental arches and record the bite. Construct a temporary crown to protect the prepared tooth.
• Fabricate the porcelain crown in the dental laboratory.
• Remove the temporary crown and clean the tooth surface.

• Cement the crown onto the tooth.