Medical Justification of Ceramic Veneers

21 Nov Medical Justification of Ceramic Veneers

Ceramic Veneers are considered symbols of aesthetic dental medicine. They provide fantastic visual results that even an experienced eye can barely recognize as artificial. The question is whether there is a medical need for such sophistication or, in other words, when do the ceramic veneers become a caprice. It is of great importance to define the boundary of what is medically justified. This issue pervades aesthetic dentistry and is often controversial. In developed countries, the physician’s right to a fee depends on medical justification of the therapy.

This suggests that doctor has an obligation to inform the patient in detail about the therapy plan and expenses, and this is especially true in irreversible procedures. The patient needs to be informed thoroughly and left with enough time to think about everything and make the decision. However, the question when the placement of ceramic veneers is medically justified, remains open. Generally, medically justified therapy is considered to be the one that is scientifically recognised and serves to cure or alleviate the disease.

Therefore, the following elements define medical justification:

1. presence of a disease
2. scientific recognition of the treatment process
3. adequacy of the treatment process

Science recognizes ceramic veneers as therapeutic agents. Faculties and clinical practice have elaborated the spectrum of indications and defined contraindications. We can list the following indications for veneers:

1. defects of the hard dental tissue caused by erosion, abrasion, fractures, caries
2. teeth with unsatisfactory composite fillings
3. the correction of the position of the teeth
4. concealment of discolored teeth where noninvasive measures seem insufficient
5. discoloration of teeth
6. permanent teeth whitening

The use of veneers can not generally be declared medically justified since its validity varies from case to case. When estimating medical justification of veneers, it needs to be considered whether there is a disease that veneers cure. Functional aspects are most commonly considered to be justified indication for restorative treatment. There is a dysfunction between medically justified indications and the ones that are aesthetically driven. This argument is not entirely true. Teeth are important for an overall wellbeing of the patient, they are in the center of the face and represent the person that they belong to. “Show me your smile and I’ll tell you who you are,” says the proverb.
The smile that disarms, victorious, charming, or the one that sends signals testify about the importance of the smile.

In conclusion, medical justification of veneers is not necessarily based on the improvement of the chewing function. Every correction of the teeth condition that leads towards the image of a healthy individual, is justified.