What are Porcelain Veneers?
Veneers are a thin, semi-translucent laminent permanently bonded to your teeth. While they’re not suitable for every patient, veneers are the most aesthetic alternative for a variety of dental conditions involving the front teeth, including:
- Diastemas (spaces between teeth)
- Broken or chipped teeth
- Unsightly, stained, or washed-out fillings
- Permanently stained or discolored teeth that can’t be bleached
- Crooked teeth
Advantages and Benefits of Veneers
There are many benefits and advantages to having porcelain veneers placed on your front teeth:
The procedure takes only two appointments.
The conservative amount of tooth structure is removed during the procedure
Veneers are the most biocompatible material you can use next to your gingiva
A healthy “natural” look is achieved; in fact, porcelain veneers are the most aesthetic restoration in dentistry.
How are Veneers different from Bonding or Crowns?
Bonding is a resin filling material that was used for serveral years to cover the front surface of teeth. Today, we generally use bonding only to fill in small surfaces or cavities and repair chips in teeth. A full crown is when a tooth has had root canal treatment, or when a substantial amount of the entire tooth structure (enamel) has been lost.
How are Porcelain Veneers done?
At the first appointment the teeth are prepared for the veneers and an impression is taken. This impression is then sent to a lab where each porcelain veneer is custom made to the dentist’s specifications and beautiful temporaries are fabricated to simulate your new smile so you can expect to leave the first appointment looking better than when you came in. At the second appointment the veneers are permanently adhered to the natural teeth.
What to Expect
Veneers can last indefinitely, depending on how well they are taken care of by the patient. Because veneers are stronger than simple bonding, the are also more resistant to stains and chipping. You must maintain regular oral hygiene at home, and visit us for routine cleanings and exams. This is to ensure that your new veneers will look as good as new. Another important pointi s that oral habits that damage natural teeth such as nail biting, opening bobby pins, and chewing on hard objects can also damage your new veneers. Once veneers are applied, just treat them like natural teeth. They look great and are exteremely durable.