Reshaping Your Teeth With Porcelain Veneers

When your front teeth need a “makeover,” porcelain veneers are a good solution for converting discolored, stained or misshapen teeth into beautiful teeth.  These thin layers of porcelain are designed to match (or improve) the color of your natural teeth and can be used to correct a myriad of issues that could be keeping you from having a beautiful smile such as:

• Teeth that are chipped or cracked
• Stained or discolored teeth
• Gaps or spaces between your teeth
• Fillings that have become stained or unattractive through the years
• Teeth that have become discolored from medication
• Teeth that are misshapen
• Teeth that are pitted

If porcelain veneers are used, the process begins when I remove a small amount of enamel from the front of your teeth so that each tooth that is being covered will be able to accommodate the veneer. Then an impression is made of your tooth (or teeth if more than one is being covered) and that impression is sent to a dental lab where the veneers are created. When we receive them back in our office, I will temporarily place the veneer on your tooth to ensure that the color and fit is exactly what we want. At that point, I can do any trimming or reshaping that needs to be done. And if the color of the veneer needs to be changed so that it matches better with your natural teeth, that process can be done with the cement that is used to bond the veneer to your tooth.

Once the look and fit of the veneer is exactly what is desired, your tooth is cleaned and made ready for the application of the veneer which will then be bonded to your natural tooth with a special cement. At this point, the cement is still pliable and I am able to move the veneer around until it is exactly positioned. When it is, I will apply a special beam of light to the tooth which will harden the cement and make the veneer a permanent part of your tooth.

There is also another option of veneers that are created from glass ceramic, a material that is extremely strong and durable, which means that the veneers are able to be created to an ultra-thin one-third of a millimeter (the thickness of a contact lens). Because they are so thin, no enamel has to be removed from the tooth on which they are placed. They are also created in a dental laboratory and the process for placing them on your teeth is the same as described above.

Veneers usually take only two visits to our office and in most cases little or no anesthetic is needed. The impressions are quickly and easily made and the process for attaching the veneer to your natural tooth is a very comfortable experience for you. Once the veneer is attached to your tooth, they will function, look and feel exactly like natural teeth. No one will be able to tell that you are wearing veneers unless you decide to tell them, and you will have a beautiful, dazzling smile!