What Are Porcelain Veneers?
Dental veneers are porcelain or composite restorations that are attached to the outside part of the teeth and with which both the color and shape of the teeth are modified.
Treatment with dental veneers allows you to change the structure of the front teeth, and achieve a whiter, more harmonious and beautiful smile.
One of the characteristics of dental veneers is that you can get spectacular results without hardly intervening on the natural tooth.
It is therefore a treatment that is modern, aesthetic and micro invasive.
What Do We Achieve with Dental Veneers?
The main purpose of dental veneers is to achieve a more aesthetic smile.
Over the years, your teeth may start getting dark and/or wearing out. Your smile may not be as nice as it used to be.
Fortunately, with so many advances in cosmetic dentistry, you can renew your smile using Dental Veneers. Both porcelain and composite laminates make a great option for getting a healthy and natural-looking smile.
These porcelain or composite layers can cover your tooth surface and give you an improved, picture-perfect mouth.
Your dentist can recommend dental veneers if your teeth are:
- chipped
- darkened or yellowish
- gapped or crooked
- misshapen
Are Veneers for Teeth Permanent?
Depending on the care and habits of each patient, dental veneers have an average lifespan of 10 to 12 years, but they can easily last up to 20 years if maintained in a proper way. However, they can become detached or fractured in very specific cases. If so, they are re-cemented or a new veneer is placed by repeating the usual procedure.
How Can we Extend the Life of a Dental Veneer?
Dental veneers simulate the functionality and esthetics of the teeth so well that patients forget that they are wearing them, and do not pay attention when eating certain foods that are harmful to their durability. It is recommended not to bite or eat hard things, maintain good oral hygiene and attend regular check-ups at the dentist.
How Does the Veneers Procedure Work?
The porcelain veneers procedure normally includes just a few couple of steps:
- First, your teeth will be carefully adapted and reshaped. This includes taking molds, removing some part of your natural enamel, and selecting the right shade for the new layer. It is important to notice that some part of your enamel will be removed, which makes the treatment a non-reversible procedure.
2. At this point you will wear temporary for a few days, which will be almost identical to the final porcelain veneers made at the dental lab.
3. If you are happy with the look and feel of the temporary layers, the final ceramic laminates will be carefully bonded. Remember that these restorations first need to be custom-made at the dental lab.
What Are the General Advantages of Veneers For Teeth?
It might be useful to consider both the pros and cons of veneers before deciding whether this is the right cosmetic solution for you.
Main Benefits of Dental Veneers Include:
- Your teeth will look naturally flawless.
- Treatment is quite short compared to other cosmetic treatments.
- Treatment does not require a big quantity of your natural tooth being removed.
- They are coated with a laminate that resists stains better than natural teeth.
- They are strong and resilient. They will function just as well as the natural tooth.
- Maintenance is low, as long as you brush and floss regularly and have your teeth professionally cleaned at least 2 times a year.
Composite Veneers
These are layers made of composite resin. When you get composite veneers, your dentist:
- Sculps and shapes the composite material on the surface of your damaged tooth.
- Once the dentist carefully bonds the composite resin onto your teeth, she or he will use a special light to harden the composite.
- Finally, your dentist will smooth the surface of the composite so that it feels absolutely comfortable in your mouth.
Advantages of Composite Veneers include:
- Less tooth enamel is removed from your natural teeth.
- If everything runs smoothly, you may get your composite veneers done in just one office visit.
- Composite veneers are easy and quick to replace if eventually they get damaged .
How Much Are Veneers?
The cost of teeth veneers will vary depending on the material used and on the number of teeth to be treated. In general, veneers cost will range between $800 and $2,500 per tooth.
As the use of veneers is something purely aesthetic, this cosmetic treatment is not covered by insurance.
However, if you are really looking for a change in your smile, this is the right path to follow. Save up some money and get ready to have a “Hollywood smile”.
How Do I Know If I Need Veneers?
Scheduling a dental appointment and asking your dentist if laminates are a suitable option for you is definitely the starting point. You can opt for porcelain or composite layers to enhance your smile if you have problems that involve:
– twisted or crooked teeth – misshapen or irregularly shaped teeth
– gapped teeth – stained or worn out teeth
– broken teeth
General Advantages of Teeth Veneers
It might be useful to consider both the pros and cons of veneers before deciding whether this is the right cosmetic solution for you.
Main benefits of dental veneers include:
- Your teeth will look naturally flawless.
- Treatment is quite short compared to other cosmetic treatments.
- Treatment does not require a big quantity of your natural tooth being removed.
- They are coated with a laminate that resist stains better than natural teeth.
- They are strong and resilient. They will function just as well as the natural tooth.
- Maintenance is low, as long as you brush and floss regularly and have your teeth professionally cleaned at least 2 times a year.
Some of the Downsides of Teeth Veneers Include:
– Treatment is irreversible: some part of your tooth or teeth has to be removed.
– Changes in color cannot be guaranteed: the rest of your teeth might change color overtime, but the dental veneer will not (a possible solution to this is teeth whitening).
– Porcelain veneers may be more fragile: they may crack more easily than crowns or fillings, for example.
-Not everyone might be a candidate for dental veneers.
Keep in mind that under any kind of cosmetic treatment, you need to have your teeth professionally cleaned by a dentist to ensure continued good health.
How Do I Know If I’m a Candidate?
Even if veneers make a great cosmetic choice for renewing your smile, not everyone is a candidate for dental veneers. Your dentist can suggest to use these layers to enhance your smile. However, your veneers can get damaged quickly or not adapt to your mouth if you:
- have bruxism (clench or grind your teeth)
- have weak enamel, which can make the veneer not hold strongly enough to your tooth.
- have gum or periodontal disease
- are not very careful with your oral cleaning
So in sum, Dental Veneers can be a great option to enhance your smile. It will all depend on whether you are a candidate for these thin layers to fit in your mouth and remain safe.
Getting this kind of Cosmetic Procedure can make you feel much better with the way you look and feel. Veneers can make you smile, speak and live more confidently.
Still have doubts about dental veneers? Contact us at Ocean Breeze Prosthodontics .
Our experts in dental aesthetics will recommend the best type of veneers for you and will help you choose the color, shape and size that best suits your face. Smile again!
How Do I Know If Veneers are Right for Me?’
On your initial visit to the dentist, you will know if you are a candidate for this treatment. If you want to enhance your smile because you have gapped, stained or misshapen teeth, your dentist may suggest dental veneers as a very good option to make your teeth look nice and natural again. Depending on your oral conditions (you need to be free from tooth decay or gum disease, for example) you can get your smile totally renewed with this cosmetic option.
Will Veneers Enhance My Smile?
Veneers will definitively enhance your smile. Because veneers have this natural translucence they provide great aesthetics. Also, they are customized to match the shape, size and color of the rest of your natural teeth. Veneers are stain resistant, so this can give you a plus for keeping a healthy looking smile for a long time.
How Long Does the Treatment Take?
It depends on whether you choose composite veneers or porcelain veneers for your treatment. Your dentist will examine your mouth on the initial visit and suggest the kind of layers that best suits your needs. Composite veneers can generally be done in one or two office visits because the composite material is shaped and customized on your prepared tooth on the same day of your dental visit. Porcelain veneers require probably additional office visits since they are prepared at a dental lab. Some dentists have their own dental lab in the office, so this makes the treatment more agile.
Are Dental Veneers Permanent?
Veneers are long-lasting and durable. If well taken care of, they can last 5-10 years. They require general care including brushing and flossing regularly, and having professional cleanings every 6 months preferably. Of course laminates are prone to crack or get damaged if you bite on hard things like ice, or if you don’t take good care of your mouth.
Will My Insurance Cover the Cost if my Veneers?
Generally, insurance companies cover a certain percentage of cosmetic dentistry per year. But that is something that changes from one insurance to another. Our office works with PPO plans. PPO insurance plans allow you to choose your own provider. So can definitely use your dental insurance to get reimbursed if your company decides to provide coverage for your cosmetic dental treatment. At Ocean Breeze Prosthodontics, we are a fee-for-service office, meaning that you pay for treatment at the time of service, and then get reimbursed by your company to your home.
