What Are Dental Porcelain Veneers?
Veneers are thin shell-like structures that are made to fit over the fronts of your visible teeth. The job of these restorations is to restore the appearance of teeth with minor flaws, improving the quality of your smile. While veneers can be made from composite resin or porcelain, all of our veneers are porcelain. This material is stronger than composite resin, and it looks much more natural. Once in place, no one will be able to tell the veneers from your natural teeth.
Uses For Porcelain Dental Veneers
Porcelain veneers may be used to correct some different cosmetic imperfections, including:
- Teeth that have minor cracks or chips that only affect the outermost layer.
- Minor alignment issues that do not affect your oral health. Your teeth may be slightly overlapping, or you may have small gaps.
- Teeth that are smaller than the rest or that are oddly shaped.
- Discolored teeth that may not have responded to whitening procedures.
Why Get Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers provide you with several benefits:
- They cover over minor imperfections, restoring a natural, beautiful appearance to your teeth.
- Porcelain is biocompatible, which means that it will not irritate your gum tissue.
- The material is very stain resistant. It can be more stain resistant than your natural enamel.
- These veneers are strong and can last 15 years or longer with proper care.
- With the appearance of your teeth restored, your smile improves. This can provide you with a major boost of confidence.
Restoring Your Smile
Getting your porcelain veneers requires two separate visits. At your first appointment, we prepare your teeth and take impressions. Preparing your teeth involves a procedure known as trimming. Done under a local anesthetic, trimming simply means that we remove a small portion of the enamel from the affected teeth. While thin, removing a small amount of enamel ensures that your veneers will blend in perfectly with the rest of your smile.
After the teeth are prepared, we take an impression. This impression is sent to our dental lab, where your custom veneers are designed and created to fit in perfectly with the rest of your natural teeth. This process can take up to two weeks. When the veneers are finished and have been sent back, it is time for your second appointment. At this appointment, we check the veneers to make sure that they sit properly on your teeth and that they look and feel natural. If no adjustments are needed, the veneers are then bonded into place on your teeth.
Porcelain veneers can correct a variety of different minor imperfections that can significantly improve your smile and your confidence. Call Ford Dental Group today at (714) 409-6161 for more information.
