Porcelain Veneers
What are porcelain veneers?
Veneers can transform a smile in as few as two dental visits. Handcrafted from durable porcelain, custom shaded to blend with your existing teeth, veneers are semi-translucent shells that your dentist can permanently bond to your front teeth. They will completely transform your smile and they may change your life!
Porcelain veneers can mask stained, chipped, cracked, worn, or otherwise damaged teeth in the smile zone. Veneers can also close gaps and cover misshapen teeth. They change the appearance of a smile by altering color, shape, size, and overall appearance of teeth. Dental patients across the globe have experienced increased confidence and success through smile makeovers with porcelain veneers. You deserve the smile of your dreams and veneers can give it to you!
Why should you choose veneers?
A whiter, straighter, more aesthetic smile can make a patient appear years younger and boost self-confidence. Many patients choose veneers over crowns, bonding, or braces. Here are a few reasons why:
– Crowns require more aggressive tooth reduction than veneers.
– Bonding is not as strong as veneers, and when natural dentition discolors, the bonded areas will be very noticeable.
– Braces correct overbites and underbites, but orthodontic therapy can take years. Veneers provide an instant smile makeover.
– Veneers look completely natural because they are thin and allow light to reflect from natural underlying dentition.
How are veneers applied?
Dr. Mace will first measure your facial features, discuss your ideal smile, and record data to send to the dental lab. You may want to bring photos of smile styles you prefer. Dr. Mace prefers to have your new smile designed in wax, known as a diagnostic wax-up, before beginning your case. This allows you to try the new design for a while to make certain you like the look and feel before the permanent veneers are fabricated. Additionally, Dr. Mace can ensure your bite is properly adjusted in the temporaries. When you and Dr. Mace are pleased with the temporaries, he will take an impression of them and send it to the lab for them to duplicate in the permanent veneers. Once your new veneers are hand made in a dental lab, Dr. Mace will secure the veneers to your existing teeth in another appointment.
Veneers are thin, about .3 to .5 mm. To ensure a smooth and natural appearance, Dr. Mace will remove a small amount of existing tooth enamel before taking the impression from which the veneers are made. Anesthesia will be administered before tooth reduction to ensure your optimal comfort. Once your custom-made porcelain veneers are affixed, you can enjoy your brilliant new stain-resistant smile for years.
Are there any downfalls to having veneers?
Most veneers are permanent and cannot be reversed, but some new products, like Lumineers, do not require tooth reduction. Candidates for veneers must have a good exclusion, meaning their upper and lower teeth fit together well, in addition to healthy teeth and gums. Veneers can last for years if they are cared for properly. Patients should not chew on hard substances, like ice, and habitual fingernail biting can wear down veneers (as well as natural teeth). Proper oral hygiene and semi-annual dental hygiene appointments are also important for longevity. For some patients, it may take a week or two to adjust to the look and feel of their new smile.
