Often patients think their slightly crooked or discolored teeth may mean they will need extensive and expensive dental work to correct their smile. Porcelain veneers offer patients an alternative to making slight adjustments in their color, size and position of their teeth.
Advantages of dental veneer
Veneers are often the go-to for teeth that are discolored, worn down, chipped, broken, crooked or irregularly shaped. They even fix teeth that have gaps between them. The thin porcelain provides a natural tooth appearance and is stain resistant. The color of the veneer can be matched to current surrounding teeth color, or teeth can be whitened before veneer treatment to match naturally once the veneer is in place.
Steps to getting a veneer
Getting a veneer usually requires a few trips to the dentist for a consultation, making the veneer and applying it. First, you meet with your dentist to have an exam, discuss what the procedure involves and determine whether you are a good candidate.
The next step is preparing the tooth for a veneer. Your dentist will need to reshape the tooth surface, trimming off some enamel where the veneer will be adhered to the tooth surface. An impression of the tooth is made and sent to a dental laboratory to create the veneer.
After a few weeks, you return to the dentist’s office to have the veneer permanently cemented to your tooth. First, your dentist will place the veneer on the tooth to examine fit and color. The veneer can be trimmed and the color adjusted before it’s bonded to the tooth. The tooth will be cleaned, polished and etched where the veneer will bond. Once the special cement and veneer are placed on your tooth, the dentist will apply a light beam to activate chemicals in the cement that cause it to harden quickly. Excess cement will be removed and final adjustments made before your appointment concludes.
To learn more about veneers and other dental restoration options for your smile needs, call our office at 501-843-9561.
