Dental Veneers Understood
In addition to completely transforming the look of your smile for the better, dental veneers are a great way to protect the surface of your teeth from damage. Typically composed of either composite resin or porcelain, these thin shells adhere permanently to the front of teeth to improve their color, shape, texture, and/or size.
Resin-Based Composite vs. Porcelain Veneers
When compared with composite resin as a material for veneers, porcelain provides a far more natural, “tooth-like” appearance. However, they are also significantly more expensive. In addition to their less authentic appearance, resin-based composite veneers typically have a shorter lifespan than porcelain veneers. They do, however, offer many distinct benefits. Beyond its reduced cost, the resin composite veneer is considerably easier to install on the tooth.
The Veneer Installation Process
Because dental professionals can generally place resin-based composite veneers in a single office visit, this overview of the veneer process will concentrate on what to expect when you get porcelain veneers, beginning with your decision to pursue this popular dental option and ending with effective veneer maintenance.
Preliminary examination
The first step for anyone pursuing dental veneers is scheduling an initial appointment with a dentist who has specific experience in this area. This appointment will allow your dentist to discuss various options with you and take the x-rays that will help guide the process.
Initial preparation
To place porcelain veneers, your dentist must prepare the teeth by trimming roughly half a millimeter of tooth enamel from them. During the same visit, the dentist will create a mold of your teeth and then send this mold to a specialized lab that uses it to fabricate the veneers. This process generally takes a week or two.
Veneer placement
When your veneers are ready, you will return to the dentist's office for placement. After checking your veneers for quality and fit, your dentist will prepare your teeth by giving them a thorough cleaning and then abrading their surfaces to improve veneer adhesion. The placement process involves attaching veneers to teeth using a special cement and then exposing that cement to ultraviolet light to speed the hardening process.
Follow-up visit
To confirm the final results of your veneer placement and assess its overall quality, your dentist will likely schedule an office visit two or three weeks after the procedure. After ensuring that they have been properly placed, the dentist will likely advise you on a proper hygiene and maintenance routine for your veneers.
Ongoing routine care
People who adhere to a regular oral hygiene routine can generally expect their porcelain veneers to last between five and ten years. Dentists generally recommend twice daily electric brushing and daily flossing with string floss and/or a water pick.
Get Started Today
An Ideal Dental professional will be happy to answer any questions that you might have about what to expect when getting dental veneers. Find your local Ideal Dental office today to get started.