Can Dental Veneers Improve Your Smile? Porcelain Veneer Uses
Dental veneers, also known as porcelain veneers, can make teeth appear flawless. While we often think of the cosmetic benefits of dental veneers, they are used to treat a variety of dental conditions, including chipped teeth, gaps, and discoloration. The team of dentists at the Cosmetic Dentistry Institute in Troy, Michigan, provides patients with dental veneers for a number of reasons.
What Are Dental Veneers?
Dental veneers are thin shells that are custom-crafted to fit over the surface of your tooth. Veneers can be made from porcelain or composite materials, and are firmly bonded to the tooth’s surface for a flawless appearance that looks and feels natural.
A skilled cosmetic dentist who has experience with veneers will often choose porcelain as the material for veneers, as porcelain resists stains and looks more like natural teeth than other materials.
What Do Dental Veneers Treat?
Dental veneers are used to achieve white, straight, beautiful smiles. More specifically, though, veneers fix:
- Discoloration. When teeth have severe stains that cannot be removed with a professional whitening treatment, veneers can mask the discolored surface of the tooth.
- Wear. When a tooth’s enamel has been worn down from grinding or acidic erosion, dental veneers can restore its protective surface and appearance.
- Chips. Porcelain veneers are an excellent solution for teeth that have severe chips or breaks that cannot be corrected with dental bonding.
- Misalignment. If you want a straight smile but don’t want to undergo time-consuming orthodontic treatment, dental veneers are your best option. By covering the surfaces of your teeth, the veneers can be shaped to create the straight smile you desire.
- Irregular shapes. If the surface of your tooth naturally has ridges, craters, or other irregularities, dental veneers can provide a smooth, uniform appearance.
- Gaps. Like misalignment, gaps between teeth can be corrected with orthodontics. However, if you’d like to see results sooner rather than later, porcelain veneers can provide an immediate solution.
The Dental Veneer Process
One of the main advantages of dental veneers is that they provide immediate results - even if your teeth are chipped, cracked, or discolored, your smile can be transformed into one that is bright, smooth, and straight. However, the porcelain veneer process typically takes three visits to the dentist, over the course of several weeks.
During the first visit, your dentist will plan your treatment. You’ll be able to share your desired results, and possibly view computerized representations of what your teeth will look like with veneers. Your dentist will determine if veneers are right for you, and if they will successfully accomplish all of your goals.
Your teeth will be prepped for your veneers during your second visit. Your dentist will remove some enamel from the surface of the tooth so it can accommodate your veneers. An impression will then be made of your teeth, which will be sent to a laboratory and used to craft your veneers. Depending on your situation, you may be fitted with temporary veneers in the meantime.
During your final visit, often about two weeks later, your dental veneers will be bonded to the surface of your teeth with a special adhesive. Once your dental veneers have been placed, your dentist will ensure that the shape and color integrates seamlessly with your existing teeth. You’ll be free to enjoy your brand new smile!
Learn More about Dental Veneers
If you have teeth that are chipped, worn, or discolored, there’s a solution! To learn more about how dental veneers can transform your smile, contact the Cosmetic Dentistry Institute today.