When you need something changed about the appearance of your teeth, chances are your dentist will recommend porcelain veneers.
These versatile problem solvers can be used to address a huge variety of issues, from dark, discolored teeth to broken or misaligned teeth.
Dental veneers are shells that are custom-formed to fit over your existing teeth.
The tooth-colored material is matched to your teeth for a natural-looking smile.
The custom-made veneer is wafer-thin and bonded to your tooth for a long-lasting adhesion.
When you decide with your cosmetic dentist to transform your smile through veneers, there are several steps before the process is complete.
The first step is a consultation appointment with your cosmetic dentist.
At the consultation appointment, you explain to the dentist what you want to change about your smile with veneers.
The dentist should examine your teeth and mouth thoroughly, making sure that veneers are the best choice and will work.
The process should be explained completely, and all questions should be asked at this time.
A professional, ethical dentist will discuss the pros and cons of the procedure, realistic expectations, and the estimated expense of the smile transformation.
At this time, the dentist will take x-rays and impressions of your mouth.
Preparing for the porcelain veneers comes next in the process.
In order for the veneers to adhere properly to your teeth, the dentist will need to etch the surface of the teeth, stripping back about a half a millimeter of tooth enamel.
This procedure usually requires a local anesthetic.
After the tooth is prepared, the dentist takes an impression of the tooth from which the veneer will be formed so it fits perfectly on the tooth.
The impression, tooth color, and instructions are sent to a dental laboratory for the formation of your veneer.
This will typically be a one to two week process.
When your veneer is completed, you will come back in for the fitting of the veneer.
Porcelain veneers can be trimmed and the color can be adjusted by the color of the bonding cement used.
Before the veneer is bonded to the tooth, the dentist will fit it, make any adjustments, and prepare the tooth surface.
The tooth will need to be cleaned, polished, and etched prior to the bonding process.
After the veneer is bonded to the tooth, the dentist will test your bite and remove excess bonding cement.
When in place, your teeth will be transformed into a naturally lovely smile.