Dental veneers are commonly used to improve a person’s overall smile by changing the color, size, shape and length of a tooth. A veneer is a wafer thin piece of porcelain or resin composite material that is shaped like a tooth and affixed to the front of a tooth’s surface.
The dentist attaches the veneer to the tooth’s surface by removing approximately 1/2 millimeter of enamel from the tooth’s top layer. In most cases, the dentist will numb the area before working on the tooth so the patient suffers no discomfort. The dentist makes an impression of the tooth that will sport the veneer and sends it to a dental laboratory where the veneer is customized to fit the tooth. Most laboratories take one to two weeks to construct a veneer.
A veneer is permanently bonded to the tooth’s surface using a special dental bonding cement. A specialized light beam activates the chemicals in the bonding compound to firmly affix the veneer to the tooth’s surface.
Veneer Advantages
- Aesthetically pleasing.
- Porcelain veneers resist staining
- Look natural.
- Wear to the edges of your teeth can be restored to their proper length providing you with a
- more youthful appearance to your smile
- Require less extensive tooth preparation than crowns.
- Require no special care to maintain.
- Available in a wide array of shades to perfectly match the surrounding teeth.
- Can be used to correct teeth that are rotated.
- Spaces between teeth can be closed
- Gums rarely become irritated from veneers.
- Last 7 to 10 years.
Dental veneers are a cost efficient way for a person to improve the overall appearance of their smile without having to undergo dramatic dental procedures. When 6 to 8 teeth are done together minor tooth movements can be simulated and in these situations the veneering procedure is called “instant orthodontics”.