Porcelain veneers are ideal for the treatment of discolored vital anterior teeth that do not respond well to bleaching.
This includes moderate discoloration caused by tetracycline staining, excessive fluoride uptake, aging, and amelogenesis imperfecta. Enamel hypocalcification and fractures can also be corrected with porcelain veneers.
They are also useful for closing moderate spacing between anterior teeth and to treat congenital tooth malformation. When there is a need to lengthen or reshape maxillary anterior teeth, porcelain veneers provide a conservative treatment option.
In contrast, endodontically-treated anterior teeth that are structurally compromised are not suitable candidates for porcelain veneers, as they need the bracing provided by full-coverage crowns to maintain their integrity.
Heavily-restored teeth with inadequate enamel are not good candidates either, as enamel is the main source of retention for porcelain veneers.
Other precluding conditions are dentition lacking posterior support, poor oral hygiene and existing parafunctional activity, such as bruxism.
Magne et al. reported that success rates for porcelain veneers drop to 60% in patients with bruxism activity; however, this percentage was similar to that obtained for metal-ceramic crowns used in the same situation.
