Porcelain veneers can offer you a long-lasting solution to unsightly chips, stains, gaps, misalignment, and other problems with your teeth. Veneers are thin, custom-made and colored materials designed to cover the front surface of teeth to improve your appearance and smile. They’re bonded to the front of the teeth which can change the color, shape, size, or length to your liking.
Dental veneers can be made from porcelain or from resin composite materials. Porcelain veneers resist stains better than resin veneers and better mimic the light reflecting properties of natural teeth. Resin veneers are thinner and require removal of less of the tooth surface before placement. You will need to discuss the best choice of veneer material for you with your dentist.
The main reason patients decide to invest in this option is the simple fact that their teeth are discolored. Discoloration occurs from poor hygiene, root canal treatment, stains caused by tetracycline and other forms of drugs, too much fluoride, or large resin fillings that eventually impact shades of color on the tooth. Another reason people look into veneers is because their teeth are worn down, broken, or chipped and they want something shiny and new to replace the defect. Teeth that are misaligned, irregularly shaped, or uneven can be fixed with veneers as well. Most patients look into dental bonding for gaps or spaces in between teeth, but veneers can address this as well.
In preparation for porcelain veneers, we remove around 1/2mm of enamel from the tooth once we’ve determined your need for local anesthetics and numb the region. We then make an impression of the tooth and send it to a dental laboratory. The use of digital dental records allows this process to be completed rather quickly. After a week or two, the veneers return from the laboratory and we begin installing them. If you’d like to implement temporary veneers until your set arrives, we can also provide that for an additional cost.
Porcelain veneers are thin but strong and made with ceramic material. Custom-molded for you, they fit perfectly and precisely to your teeth with sturdily attached cement. One of the best features of veneers is that they match your natural tooth color so the veneer doesn’t stick out in appearance. Years of coffee drinking, smoking, wine drinking, gaps between teeth, and other embarrassing issues can be masked with porcelain veneers. You’ll see that you will have a beautiful smile for decades to come, because veneers are known for their long term durability and benefits.