As a cosmetic dentist, we use dental veneers on a regular basis. Veneers are an excellent solution for correcting teeth that have been damaged and need to be restored. They are made out of a tooth-colored porcelain or ceramic and can look so authentic that we can even have them created in a gradient shade of white that mirrors the typical effects of an aged tooth. Modern dental technology has advanced so quickly that it is virtually impossible to tell the difference between a veneer and natural tooth, unless of course you want to replace all of your teeth because you don’t like them.
When it comes to restorations, timing is important. If you have damaged your tooth, the faster that you visit our office, the more options we will have for restoring it. If a tooth is allowed to remain damaged for an extended period of time, the risk of it becoming infected or further damaged only increases. As such, we recommend that you contact our office immediately if you break, chip, crack or lose a tooth.
Dental veneers are commonly used in the restoration process because of how versatile they are. With a veneer, we can close gaps that have formed in between teeth, cover dark stains and even change the width or length of existing teeth. This is ideal for someone whose adult teeth look more like a child’s. It is also ideal for those that are desperate to improve the appearance of their smile but don’t have time for braces in order to straighten them. Simultaneously, in restorations this is a common solution because it can take a damaged tooth and make it usable again.
If you have cracked or chipped your tooth, a veneer works by providing the tooth with a smooth surface and durability. A veneer is a thin shell that is placed on top of your existing tooth. While very thin, it becomes incredibly durable once bonded to the tooth. In this way, it is very similar to naturally occurring enamel. Since it can correct teeth that have been cracked or chipped, we find that this solution works well and keeps people out of the emergency room.
In order to prepare your tooth or teeth for dental veneers, we will take an impression of your teeth and match their appearance to a shade card. Next, we will prepare your teeth for the procedure. In order to do so a portion of the enamel needs to be removed. The exact amount varies from person to person, and we can ensure your comfort while performing the procedure by administering sedation. Since removing the enamel leaves your teeth exposed to the elements, we will place a temporary veneer onto the surface of the tooth so that you can continue eating while waiting for your new veneer to arrive. Once the new veneer is finished, we will remove the temporary ones and ensure that they are a perfect fit before bonding it in place.
