Among the many treatment options now available for correcting smiles, veneers are one of the most predictable.
Veneers are custom-made porcelain facings that are bonded to the natural teeth. Because the shape, size, colour, and position of each tooth can be customized in the laboratory to suit a patient’s unique needs, veneers provide maximum control over how the final outcome will look.
Previewing the final results
If you want to know how veneers will look before you commit to the treatment, you have some options.
Your dentist may take models of your existing smile and have a lab technician known as a ceramist build a wax model of how the final result will look. In other cases, a temporary plastic version of the desired outcome may be mocked up and snapped onto your existing teeth. Finally, a digital photograph can be enhanced on a computer to show you what is possible.
Getting veneers
The process of getting veneers can be broken down into these general steps:
1
A small amount of the tooth to be veneered is shaved off on the outside, and a very accurate model of the tooth is taken using a rubber-like material and sent to the lab for the permanent veneer construction.
2
Depending on the amount of tooth structure removed, a temporary covering may be made to protect the tooth for the couple of weeks it takes the ceramist to construct the veneer.
3
At your next visit, any temporary coverings are removed and the veneer is placed. Any necessary minor adjustments are made, and then the veneer and tooth are treated to bond the veneer to the tooth surface.
Preserving the life of your porcelain veneers
Once a veneer is fused to the surface of the tooth, it is durable and can last many years with proper daily care. Talk to your dentist about any specific factors or habits that might affect the life of your veneers, such as grinding your teeth, playing contact sports, or eating hard foods.
Cosmetic dental treatments such as porcelain veneers are only done after careful planning and consultation with your dentist. Contact Affinity Dental Sherwood Park today for more information about veneers.