Porcelain veneers are very thin, semi-translucent facings bonded to the front of teeth. Veneers are durable, stain resistant and natural looking. They can be used to transform your smile and also improve the function of your teeth. They offer a conservative way to provide you with a beautiful healthy smile you have always wanted.
Benefits of Veneers
Veneers can create big differences in the appearance of your teeth. They can restore chipped and broken teeth back to their natural shape. Gaps between teeth can easily be closed. Teeth that are crooked can look straight again. Veneers can change the shape and length of teeth fixing teeth that are short, smaller, or misshaped. Teeth that are discolored or stained can be whitened. Worn teeth can be veneered, protecting them from further damage.
Before & After Photos
Veneers used to close the gap between the front teeth and also to change the shape and length. The patient had some wear on her anterior teeth making the teeth look shorter and triangular with sharper edges. Veneers added length back and rounded the edges giving her a more youthful, feminine smile.
Veneers helping correct staining and discoloration.
Advantages of Veneers
The best thing about veneers is that they are conservative compared to crowns. Tooth preparation can be very minimal depending on what you want to change with your teeth. Veneers are made out of strong porcelain and are more durable compared to esthetic bonding. They are also stain resistant. They are translucent and very natural looking.
Limitations of Veneers
Veneers do best under certain situations and are not for every tooth. Veneers stay in place by bonding to the outer layer of tooth structure called enamel. Bonding to enamel is predictable. Teeth with a lot of damage (heavy wear, large fracture, extensive decay or previous restoration) would require bonding to dentin, which is not predictable. A crown would be a better option in certain situations. Teeth that have larger gaps or are heavily rotated or malaligned may not do well with veneers. Braces or Invisalign is often the better solution. Since veneers are bonded to the front side of the tooth only, it is possible they can come off or fracture when heavy forces are placed on them.
What to Expect with Veneers
The first step is talking with Dr. Brian Haeussner about what changes you are looking to make to the appearance of your teeth. Depending on those changes and the current status of your teeth, he will discuss if you are a good candidate for veneers or not. Veneers are an excellent option to restoring your teeth but they have limitations as discussed above. If veneers are done where they are not indicated, they will crack or debond from the tooth.
A veneer can be done for a single tooth or several for a smile makeover. It will take at least two appointments to complete the veneers. The first visit is completing any tooth reduction needed for the veneers. Impressions are taken and sent to our expert lab technician. It will take the lab about 2-3 weeks to craft the veneers. During this time period you will have provisional veneers. They are made out of temporary material so you need to be careful. If you have trouble with them coming off or breaking, please let us know. The final veneers are delivered at your second visit. We take the temporaries off and try each veneer on. We will look at the esthetics and see if it is exactly as you wanted. We will then bond each veneer into place and complete any adjustments needed. For many patients, we will do a one week check to make sure everything is still looking perfect.
Caring for Veneers
Veneers will not last forever and eventually may need to be replaced. How long they last often depends on how well you take care of them. Biting your nails, opening packages or bottles with your front teeth, chewing into hard substances and other bad habits for your teeth will cause problems for the veneers. Veneers do not do well under heavy excessive forces. If you are a clencher or a grinder, we should make you a bite guard to wear at night. Decay can develop around veneers causing them to fail. Good oral hygiene at home and routine cleanings, exams and radiographs will help keep your veneers looking beautiful for a long time.