Article:

In recent years, bonded porcelain restorations have geometrically expanded in their clinical use. Increased patient demands for esthetics coupled with the desire by the profession for conservative treatments have fueled this expansion. Early concerns about the fragile nature of the thin shells of ceramic have been allayed as multiple clinical reports have documented good to excellent clinical success. Because of this documented success, porcelain veneers have been used for more restorative situations and not for just esthetic enhancement. One exhaustive study that followed veneers for up to 15 years reported total failures of only 7%, equaling approximately a 1% chance of failure per year. Of the reported failures, more than half were fractures. Several other reports documenting the success or failure of porcelain veneers cite margin placement and whether or not the margins were placed in enamel as the primary causes of failure.