- Home
- Our Services
- Information
- FAQ's
- Dental Emergencies
- Make An Appointment
- About Us
- Contact Us |
|
|
What
Are Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are ultra-thin
shells of ceramic material, which are bonded to the front of teeth. This
procedure requires little or no anesthesia, and can be the ideal choice
for improving the appearance of the front teeth. Porcelain veneers are
placed to mask discolorations, to brighten teeth, and to improve a smile.
Highly resistant to permanent staining from coffee, tea, or even cigarette
smoking, the wafer-thin porcelain veneers can achieve a tenacious bond
to the tooth, resulting in an esthetically pleasing naturalness that
is unsurpassed by other restorative options.
Why a porcelain veneer?
Porcelain veneers are an excellent alternative to crowns in many situations.
They provide a much more conservative approach to changing a tooth's
color, size, or shape. Porcelain veneers can mask undesirable defects,
such as teeth stained by tetracycline, by an injury, or as a result
of a root-canal procedure, and are ideal for masking discolored fillings
in front teeth. Patients with gaps between their front teeth or teeth
that are chipped or worn may consider porcelain veneers. Generally,
veneers will last for many years, and the technique has shown remarkable
longevity when properly performed.
What happens during the procedure?
Patients need three appointments for the entire procedure: diagnosis
and treatment planning, preparation, and bonding.
Diagnosis and treatment
planning:
It's critical that you take an active role in the smile
design. Spend time in the decision-making and planning of the smile.
Understand the corrective limitations of the procedure. Have more
than one consultation, if necessary, to feel comfortable that your
dentist understands your objectives.
Preparation of teeth:
This appointment
will take from one to two hours. To prepare the teeth for the porcelain
veneers, the teeth are lightly buffed to allow for the small added thickness
of the veneer. Usually, about a half a millimeter of the tooth is removed,
which may require a local anesthetic. At this appointment, a mold is
taken of the teeth, which is sent to the laboratory for the fabrication
of the veneers. This can take about one to two weeks. If the teeth are
too unsightly a temporary veneer can be placed, at an additional cost.
Bonding
of veneers:
This appointment will take about one or two hours. First,
the dentist places the veneers with water or glycerine on the teeth
to check their fit and get a sense of the shade or color. While the
veneers are resting on your teeth, view the esthetic results, and
pay particular attention to the color. At this point, the color of the
veneers can still be adjusted with the shade of the cement to be used.
The color cannot be altered after veneers are cemented. To apply the
veneer, the tooth is cleansed with specific chemicals to achieve a bond.
Once a special cement is sandwiched between the veneer and tooth, a visible
light beam initiates the release of a catalyst to harden the cement.
How about maintenance?
For about a week or two, you will go through a period of adjustment as
you get used to your "new" teeth that have been changed in size and shape.
Brush and floss daily. After one or two weeks, you'll return for a follow-up
appointment.
Have realistic expectations
Porcelain veneers are reasonable facsimiles of natural teeth, not perfect
replacements. It's not uncommon to see slight variations in the color
of porcelain veneers upon close inspection, as this occurs even in natural
teeth. Nevertheless, this procedure can greatly enhance your smile, and
can heighten inner satisfaction and self-esteem.
The Academy of General Dentistry is a non-profit organization
of more than 37,000 general dentists dedicated to staying up-to-date in
the profession through continuing education. A general dentist is the primary
care provider for patients of all ages and is responsible for the diagnosis,
treatment, management and overall coordination of services related to patient's
oral health needs. Learn more about AGD member dentists or find more information
on dental health topics at www.agd.org/consumer.
CONTACT:
Susan Urbanczyk, public relations manager, at 312.440.4308 or media@agd.org
or Jennifer Starkey, public relations coordinator, at 312.440.4341 or
media@agd.org.
NOTE:
Information that appears in General Dentistry, the AGD's peer-reviewed
journal, AGD Impact, the AGD's newsmagazine and related press releases
do not necessarily reflect the endorsement of the AGD.
|
