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Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers can correct chipped, uneven, or discolored teeth. Although no cosmetic dentistry procedure can take the place of good oral and periodontal hygiene, porcelain veneers applied over your natural teeth can easily brighten your smile and can enhance self-esteem.

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• What Can Porcelain Veneers Do for You?

  A porcelain veneer is a thin shell of porcelain that fits over a damaged, discolored, or misshaped tooth. This procedure has several advantages over other tooth restoration procedures. Porcelain is an extremely durable material with a color, translucence and texture that is similar to tooth enamel. It is not susceptible to decay and resists staining while maintaining a natural appearance. Veneers can effectively close diastemas (gaps between teeth), lengthen and reshape teeth, repair chipped, broken, or misshapen teeth, and cover stains and discolorations.

• Explanation of Procedure

  At your first appointment following the initial consultation, your teeth will be roughened and shaped to remove part of the outer tooth enamel. This provides a better surface for bonding and allows room for the placement of the thin porcelain shell. After shaping, your dentist will take impressions of your teeth, which will be used to create veneers that fit your mouth precisely. He/she may suggest applying temporary veneers to protect your teeth until your customized veneers are completed.

  At your next appointment, your dentist will test your veneers to make sure that they fit properly and that they are the correct size and color. At this time, you and your dentist will work together to make sure that you are satisfied with the result. If needed, more shaping or trimming of the veneers can be done before the final fitting.

  Before your veneers are permanently bonded to your teeth with a composite resin cement, your teeth will be thoroughly cleaned, since clean teeth and healthy gums are necessary in order for bonding to be successful.

  The procedures are performed at the dentist's office and usually take about an hour to be placed on the patient's teeth. In certain cases, the procedure can take two dental visits to complete. The actual length of the entire procedure depends on the amount of dental work that needs to be done. As far as how much pain is involved, one of the advantages to Porcelain Veneers is that there is little or no discomfort during the procedure.

• Post-Op Recovery / Long-Term Results

  After your teeth have been prepared and before your permanent veneers have been applied, appearance should be fairly normal. Some sensitivity may be encountered mainly with cold drinks. Using a straw can alleviate this problem.

  During this period, you should brush regularly, as your teeth will be more susceptible to staining. Regular flossing is important, too, since swollen or bleeding gums compromise bonding the veneers on permanently.

  Once your veneers are permanently placed, they will feel like a natural part of your teeth, and you can use them just as you would your regular teeth. However, veneers are not indestructible. To protect your veneers from chipping, avoid biting down into hard substances. Slice apples before eating them. Avoid bad habits like chewing on fingernails, pencils, or paperclips and clenching or grinding your teeth.

• Risk & Limitations

  Depending on the structural integrity of your teeth, the health of your gums, and your occlusion (bite), crowns or orthodontics may be recommended instead of, or in addition to, veneers in order to achieve the desired results.

  If your natural teeth are discolored, you may want to consider whitening your teeth before veneers are applied, since extremely dark stains could show through the thin porcelain shell. Whitening after will not change the color of the porcelain veneers.

  Since the oral cavity contains many kinds of bacteria and experiences many temperature and/or pressure changes throughout a typical day, all dental restorations contain some degree of risk. It is important to follow good oral hygiene and keep the margin (the area where the tooth and the veneer meet) as clean as possible so that decay doesn't develop underneath the veneer. Restorations with margins above the gumline are easier to maintain than those with margins below the gumline.

  In order to minimize these risks, it is important that you follow all of your dentist's instructions, both before and after the procedure.

The information provided on surgeryBA.com is designed to support, not replace, the relationship between a patient and his/her physician. Individual results may vary according to each patient's individual objectives, health, and circumstances. The information provided here stems from our professional experience with patients and from our doctor's advise.