What are veneers ?

What is a Veneer?

A veneer is a thin layer of ceramic or composite resin tooth-colored material placed over your tooth to improve shape, size, and/or color. These restorations are highly aesthetic and cosmetic and require minimal tooth cutting for their preparation. Veneers can be made directly or indirectly.

• Direct veneersare made mostly from composite material and are placed directly on your teeth chairside. This may make the appointment longer than usual but reduces your number of visits to your dentist. Compared to indirect restorations these are not as aesthetic and long-lasting.
• Indirect Veneersare made by a dental laboratory from either ceramic or resin material. Your appointment duration is dramatically reduced but it increases the number of visits to your dentist. These are usually strong and, durable and each material has its benefits and side-effects. Porcelain versions hold up better against stains and resemble natural teeth. Resin veneers require less tooth structure to be removed but they can take up stains and discolored over the period.

Who Should Get Veneers?

If your teeth are stained or damaged due to any reason and you are looking for cosmetic dentistry solutions for teeth whitening. Veneers provide cosmetic solutions and are a more conservative treatment than a crown and bridges and are often used if the underlying tooth is strong and healthy.

You may consider getting veneers if:

• Your teeth are discolored.
• Traditional teeth whitening methods have not worked out.
• Your teeth are broken or fractured.
• There are unpleasing gaps between your teeth.
• Are unsatisfied with the current esthetics of your teeth.
• Want an alternative to braces to fix mild irregularity of teeth.

You can either have a single tooth or a few teeth bonded with veneers, depending on your need. It is important to remember that If you are looking at veneers as a perfect solution to your need, you should have:

• Teeth with a sufficient amount of healthy enamel
• Excellent periodontal health
• Proper oral care (regular brushing and flossing)

What Is the Procedure for Getting A Veneer?

The application of veneers to your teeth is a very simple and pain-free procedure. The number of appointments depends upon the method of fabrication you have selected i.e. Direct or Indirect Veneers. Generally, veneer treatment may involve the following steps:

1. Consultation: It’s an extremely important step where you should have a consultation with your dentist to discuss dental problems, specific needs, and your treatment options. During the appointment, the dentist may diagnose your problems and may take x-rays to confirm the diagnosis.
2. Preparation: At your next appointment, your dentist will grind approximately 0.25-0.5 millimeters of enamel off your tooth before making an impression of your tooth. Usually, it’s a painless procedure but if you feel pain a local anesthetic can be used to numb the area and reduce the discomfort.
3. Fabrication: For indirect veneers, 1 – 2 weeks after your impression is sent off to the dental laboratory, you will receive your esthetic veneers. While you wait for your veneers to be created, you can request your dentist about temporary resin restoration but usually, it is not needed.
4. Bonding: To prepare your tooth to receive the veneer, your dentist will clean and polish your tooth, and do the next step which is etching. It helps to roughen the tooth surface and increases the bonding strength.
5. Placement: Your dentist will then apply a special material to the veneer before placing it on your tooth. Once it is in the correct position, the veneer will be cemented. A particular light is used to activate the chemicals in the material, which causes the material to harden quickly and finalize the bonding of the veneer to your tooth.
6. Adjustments: Your dentist will then make final adjustments if needed.

Are Veneers Treatment Painful Procedure?

As mentioned earlier veneer treatment is typically a pain-free procedure. However, if you experience mild discomfort your dentist will numb your tooth before the procedure begins.

Are There Any Alternatives to Veneers?

Once the structure of the tooth has been removed, this is irreversible. For this reason, some patients may like to consider alternative treatments, such as teeth whitening.

If your chief concern is discoloration of the teeth and you would like to brighten your smile, you should consider teeth whitening as well. Professional teeth whitening done by a dentist can give you amazing results for a perfect smile.

Similar to dental veneers, dental bonding can also help to improve the appearance of chipped teeth.

How Much Do Veneers Cost?

The cost of veneers depends on several factors, including:

1. the type of veneer (ceramic or composite)
2. direct or indirect fabrication, and
3. how many teeth require veneers?

Are you excited to know more information about veneers, please contact us to schedule an appointment? Our dentists will ensure you are on a guided journey for a brighter, and natural smile with a state-of-the-art and quality dental veneers.