Understanding Dental Veneers
Unfortunately, not everyone is born with perfectly white and straight teeth. For the most part, braces and other cosmetic dental treatments are needed to achieve a quality smile.
For many individuals, treatments such as veneers work to create a bright smile, boosting confidence and self-esteem. Whether you have chipped teeth or gaps, veneers can work well to provide you with a straight and lovely smile.
But what are veneers? Read on to learn more about this dental treatment, one that Dr. Rashmi Patel is quite familiar with and provides for patients on a regular basis.
What Are Dental Veneers?
In dentistry, the term veneer refers to a thin piece of porcelain that is used to cover the existing teeth to create a new look. The material is strong and resilient, easily compared to the natural durability of tooth enamel. The porcelain is used to recreate the look of your teeth and custom made to fit your mouth shape. The thin piece of veneer will be bonded to your original tooth during a procedure that takes place in-office.
Veneers have taken the place of traditional braces or crowns. Veneers can easily be used to correct a misalignment or close gaps in the teeth. This cosmetic procedure can enhance the position of teeth for a straighter smile or bring about a whiter smile.
The Placement of Veneers
In a typical veneer placement scenario, a dentist will need one or two appointments to complete the process. A veneer that is prefabricated will need just one appointment to place on the teeth. Two appointments will be needed if a laboratory is required to make the veneer.
Let’s consider the veneer is being created in a lab. In this scenario, the dentist will prepare the patient with or without local anesthesia based on the patient. Some patients are fine without the help of anesthesia.
To begin, the dentist will clean the tooth to be used and review the right shade for the veneer. A small amount of enamel will be removed from your existing tooth so that the bonding agent can be added, and the veneer put in place. An impression will be made of the tooth and then sent to the lab. A temporary veneer is put on the tooth and can be removed once the lab has finished your new veneer.
Once the lab sends the porcelain veneer over to the dental office, the temporary veneer covering is removed. The tooth is then cleaned again and prepared for the veneer. Once bonded in place, the veneer will be light cured for a short minute time frame to ensure attachment. Any material that remains will be removed by the dentist and the veneer polished.
The process is relatively easy and only takes a short amount of time depending on how many veneers you require.
