Veneers

What are Veneers?

Teeth that are badly stained, shaped or crooked are improved when a veneer is placed over the surface of the affected teeth. 

Veneers consist of thin pieces of porcelain or plastic and are cemented over the front of your teeth, changing the color or the shape. Veneers will improve teeth that have uneven surfaces or are chipped, discolored, oddly shaped, unevenly spaced or crooked. Generally, anesthesia is not needed. Veneers have a longer life and color stability versus bonding, They are also highly resistant to any permanent staining from coffee, tea, or cigarette smoking.

Dental lab technicians make veneers. They work from a model that’s provided by your dentist. Veneers are usually irreversible. A small amount of enamel has to be removed from your teeth to accommodate the shell.

Porcelain veneers can hide damaged teeth that are stained by tetracycline, an injury, or a root-canal procedure. They are also ideal for masking discolored fillings in front teeth. Gaps between your front teeth or teeth that are chipped or worn are excellent candidates for porcelain veneers.

Applying Veneers

Applying veneers usually require three appointments: diagnosis and treatment planning, preparation, and bonding.

The teeth are lightly buffed to allow for the small, added thickness of the veneer. This takes one to two hours, We remove about a half a millimeter of each tooth and that may require a local anesthetic. Afterwards, a mold is taken of the teeth. The mold is then sent to the laboratory for fabricating the veneers.

During the final "bonding" visit, which lasts one or two hours, the veneers are placed on each tooth with water or glycerin to check their fit and to look at the shade or color. Veneers can be adjusted with various shades of cement so they match the color of your teeth. Each tooth is cleansed with specific chemicals to achieve a bond before the veneer is applied.  After that, a special cement is applied between the veneer and tooth. Then a visible light beam, or laser, releases a catalyst hardening the cement.

There is a two-week period of adjustment. You may notice a change in the size and shape in your teeth. You need to brush and floss daily. You`ll return for a follow-up appointment in one or two weeks. Porcelain veneers are attractive and are reasonable facsimiles of natural teeth, but they're not perfect replacements. You may see a slight variation in the color of porcelain veneers in a close inspection, but this also occurs in natural teeth. 

For certain patients no tooth preparation may be needed. See our specialties page for more information.