Our teeth can take a beating over the course of a lifetime, and sometimes even regular cleanings aren’t enough to maintain their shine. Injuries or medical procedures can distort or discolor even the most well-cared-for teeth.
Porcelain veneers, however, provide a solution for even the most extreme circumstances. Veneers are long-lasting, mimic the natural sheen of healthy teeth, and can return your smile to vibrancy relatively quickly.
What are Dental Veneers?
Dental veneers are extremely thin, custom-fitted shells that cover the teeth’s exterior surfaces. Along with whitening and cosmetic improvements, veneers are also used to repair misshaped, chipped, or broken teeth.
While some veneers are made of a composite resin, May Family Dental prefers to employ porcelain veneers, which do a better job of resisting stains, and more accurately mimic the tooth’s natural pearlescent finish.
Veneers are bonded permanently to the surface of the teeth, and if cared for properly can last up to 20 years.
How are Veneers Applied?
Applying porcelain veneers usually takes two visits to your dentist, beginning with a consultation. Your dentist will help you determine if veneers are the best solution for your needs, then take x-rays or make impressions of your teeth.
The process begins with removal of a thin layer of the existing enamel. Your dentist goes through several steps of temporarily attaching each veneer, checking the fit, and then trimming the veneer to make it match the anchor tooth perfectly.
Once the fit is perfected, each tooth is polished and etched, and the veneer is bonded to the tooth with a fast-drying cement, final adjustments are made, and excess cement is removed. Your dentist may also suggest another visit after a few weeks to make sure the veneers are remaining well in place.
Conditions that Veneers can Repair
Because veneers are bonded to teeth permanently, they are typically only used when substantial improvement is needed. They are most frequently used to improve extremely discolored or stained surfaces, or teeth that are chipped, broken, uneven, significantly gapped, or misshapen.
The Advantages of Porcelain Veneers
Once in place, porcelain veneers mimic natural teeth very well. They don’t require anything unique to keep up their appearance, so a normal dental hygiene routine and regular cleanings at the dentist will keep them well-maintained.
Veneers offer the most natural appearance compared to other procedures, and can be color-selected to brighten the shade of darker teeth. They’re also stain-resistant, and placing them can be done without the significant tooth reshaping necessary for applying crowns.
Gum tissue also accepts porcelain veneers well, limiting soreness and swelling.
How May Family Dental Can Help
Our professionals at May Family Dentistry will be happy to help you determine if veneers are the right solution for your smile.
After determining a course of action, we typically place veneers in two separate visits. The initial session is used to take impressions and perform minimally-invasive contouring, along with custom-crafting each veneer. During the second appointment, each veneer is checked for correct fit, and then bonded.
You can learn more about our veneer services here. Both current and new patients can schedule their first appointment by calling our Logan office at 740-385-2631, our Zanesville office at 740-452-5441, or by completing our online form.