Porcelain dental veneers are a beautiful way to correct stained, chipped, or crooked teeth. By placing glass-like ceramic porcelain on the surface of teeth, dentists can provide patients with bright, straight, and natural looking smiles. If you are considering veneers but would like more information about the process of placing porcelain veneers and the cost of treatment, please read the information below and contact a dentist in your area.
So What exactly are dental Veneers?
Veneers are wafer thin lamintates or shells of tooth coloured material (which can be either porcelain, ceramic or composite bonding material) that are “cemented” to the front surface of teeth to improve their cosmetic appearance. Many dentists use the analogy that dental veneers are for your teeth what false finger nails are for your hands. In a similar manner to how false finger nails are placed or glued to your existing fingernails, veneers are bonded to the front of your existing teeth.
Placing Dental Veneers
Placement of porcelain veneers is one that requires the skill, precision, and artistry of a talented cosmetic dentist. Having your smile made over with veneers usually takes about three office visits.
In the first visit, a dentist will first plan your new smile by determining what size, shape, and type of veneers will best complement your smile, face shape, and aesthetic desires. Next, he will carefully prepare the teeth by removing a small amount of enamel to accommodate the veneer. He will then place temporary veneers to protect the teeth while the permanent version is crafted in a dental laboratory.
When the permanent veneers are ready, you will return for your third visit to have your permanent veneers placed. This is the final step in your smile transformation, and you can leave the dentist’s office with a brand new, beautiful smile.
What Will My Porcelain Veneers Look Like?
The glass-like ceramic that forms porcelain veneers closely resembles natural tooth enamel. This is because, much like real tooth enamel, porcelain veneers are translucent. When light strikes a natural tooth’s surface, it is not immediately reflected off. Instead, it penetrates the tooth enamel and reflects off the opaque tooth dentin that lies just beneath. This translucent effect is what gives teeth their luster. By replicating this, porcelain dental veneers provide patients with bright, natural looking smiles.
Porcelain dental veneers can also cover and repair cracked and chipped teeth. Because porcelain veneers are custom made and fitted to your teeth by a skilled cosmetic dentist, you can customize and improve much more than just the color of your teeth. Crooked and chipped teeth can have their appearances improved to give you a beautiful new smile. Any broken teeth can be repaired using dental crowns, or caps, that can be color matched to your dental veneers.
How long do dental veneers last?
Porcelain veneers will typically last between 5-10 years and composite veneers maybe a year or two at the most. The botom line is that eventually your veneers will need to be replaced. Although veneers are strongly cemented into place they have been cases where they come loose and fall off, in such situations it is important that you keep hold of your veneer and contact your dentist immediately. To make your veneers last longer it is important to follow a good oral hygiene program and also visit your dentist for check ups on a regular basis.
|
