Porcelain veneers are thin covers made from porcelain that adhere to teeth giving them a classically shaped look that many desire. The porcelain veneers are wafer thin shells that are custom made from porcelain that is the same color of the tooth. Porcelain veneers cover the front surface of your teeth. When you are getting porcelain veneers the dental professional must remove enamel from your tooth so there can be room made for the porcelain veneers. Removing some of your protective enamel leaves your tooth unprotected and it also causes the tooth to become sensitive; this will be the case until the porcelain veneer is fixed over your tooth, and the same thing will happen if you should ever have to have the porcelain veneer removed for any reason.
Some of the issues that may be corrected by having porcelain veneers are: stained teeth that can’t be whitened by bleaching; teeth that are chipped, misshapen, crooked, or worn; and fixing spaces that are uneven or that even have a large gap between them. There are also some very much desired benefits of getting porcelain veneers. These include the fact that they are strong and last a long time, the surface looks natural so it doesn’t appear that you have fake teeth; although there is tooth enamel that is removed, you will be removing less than what you would be if you were getting a cap or crown on your tooth, and porcelain veneers do not stain easily.
When you are considering porcelain veneers, it is important that you know the steps that will take place to allow this process to happen.
- As stated, there will be the need to prepare the teeth. To do this, the dentist generally removes a small amount of the tooth enamel from the front and the sides of the teeth. This will be done so there can be room made for the porcelain veneers, allowing them to look natural.
- A mold or impression is made of the prepared teeth and the shade of the veneer is decided upon so your smile has the best look.
- The mold or impression that is taken is then sent off to a dental lab that makes the porcelain veneers, customized so they fit your teeth. It can take some days for this process to happen, but you want them to be perfect for your teeth. During this time, your dentist may give you some temporary veneers until your custom-made veneers come in.
- Once your custom-made porcelain veneers are in, your dentist will place them on your teeth and check the shape and fit of them. If there needs to be any adjustments made they will be… once that is done, the teeth are cleaned and the veneers are then bonded to the teeth.
Porcelain veneers can last for decades if they are taken care of properly.
