Dental Veneers

There's no reason to put up with gaps in your teeth or with teeth that are stained, badly shaped or crooked. Today a veneer placed on top of your teeth can correct nature's mistake or the results of an injury and help you have a beautiful smile.

You should know that this is usually an irreversible process, because it's necessary to remove a small amount of enamel from your teeth to accommodate the shell.Your dentist may recommend that you avoid some foods and beverages that may stain or discolor your veneers such as coffee, tea or red wine. Sometimes a veneer might chip or fracture. But for many people the results are more than worth it.

What is a porcelain veneer?

Porcelain veneers are thin (about 1.5 times the thickness of a fingernail) porcelain shells that are used to change the shape and/or color of the front and biting surface of front teeth. Less than one millimeter of tooth thickness is removed to accomodate the new porcelain facing, an impression is taken, and models made and sent to the dental laboratory. The veneer is then bonded to the tooth, making a hard, beautiful, stain-resistant restoration.

What are their uses?

Porcelain veneers are used for a variety of reasons. These include restoring chipped, broken or worn teeth. They can also be used to change the shape of a tooth or smile(like braces) as well as to alter the color of teeth.

How are they made?

Porcelain veeners require 2 to 3 appointments to make. Before beginning treatment, the dentist may wish to take diagnostic models and photos to use as an aid in planning the design of the smile and veneers. These also give the patient an idea of what the final smile will look like. After the diagnostic appointment, the patient is anesthetized and the teeth are shaped. In most instances, this requires removing about .5mm from the front surface of the tooth. An impression of the prepared teeth is then taken, customized shade selection along with photographs are also obtained. Temporary veneers are then placed and the case is then sent to a dental lab for processing of the veneer.
At the final appointment, the temporary veneers are removed and the actual veneers are tried on for fit, shape, and shade. They are then cemented in place with a special cement.

How long do they last?

There are many factors that affect the life of a veneer. These include habits such as clenching or grinding, patient's bite, good oral hygiene, the quality of the porcelain from which the veneer is made, and diet.

Here are some before and after examples of porcelain veneers:

(Photo courtesy of Glidewell Dental Laboratories)