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Porcelain
Veneers
Q:
What are porcelain veneers?
A: These are also called "porcelain laminates."
For our purposes, we will just call them veneers. Veneers
are thin sculpted pieces of tooth-shaped porcelain that fit over the
front of the teeth and are the premier standard of care in cosmetic
dentistry. Permanently bonded to the front surface of a tooth,
to restore or improve position, shape and tooth color, they can make
a dramatic, immediate difference to one's smile and overall facial appearance.
Veneers are wonderful for fixing common problems such as midline
spaces (the gap-toothed look of the two front upper teeth) or chipped,
crooked, missing, discolored, pitted, malformed or improperly positioned
teeth. Once only accessible to the wealthy and top Hollywood stars
and models, veneers are now a popular way for many people to obtain
the smile of their dreams.
Q: Is there really a difference between the porcelain veneers
you can get from one dental office and another?
A: Yes, there is a real blend of art and science behind high-end
aesthetic dentistry. All veneers are not created equal. Dr.
Jones has extensive training in the art of smile design, which evaluate
the colors, line angles, shapes, thickness, translucency, occlusion,
and many other factors necessary for a successful case. Our dental
ceramists will then fabricate the veneers to our specifications. Veneers
should be custom-designed to fit your face, smile, gender and personality.
Done correctly, they look and feel like real teeth. You can be
as much a part of the selection process as you wish. Veneers are
bonded in place with a high intensity curing light. You can tell
the quality by the photos of the work you see in our office.
Q: How are veneers made?
A: Veneers are made from a thin shell of porcelain and are permanently
bonded to the teeth. Our selected, world-class dental ceramists
fabricate the veneers from our impressions and color mapping specifications.
Each veneer is custom-designed to fit naturally and comfortably
over each tooth like a ballet slipper. After placement, these
veneers are designed to look like beautiful, natural teeth.
Q: What are veneers used for?
A: Veneers can be used to correct the size, shape, color and alignment
of teeth. So if your smile suffers from teeth that are stained,
crooked or malformed for any reason (cracks, chips, fractures, spaces,
smoking or tetracycline stains, etc.), then you may be a great candidate
for porcelain veneers. Many people want straighter teeth without the
hassle and time orthodontic braces require. Now, teeth can be
straightened with porcelain veneers and crowns. Most people can
get the shape, length and degree of whiteness they want, and they don't
stain!
But what many people don't realize is that the shape of veneers in combination
with occlusal adjustments, such as opening the bite, can also have profound
impact on the entire face. This can result in giving the appearance
of a face-lift or elimination of wrinkles without any plastic surgery.
So in developing your personalized Smile Design, we take into account
building out certain teeth or reduce others to achieve such desired
objectives. This is why for a number of our clients, they actually
look 10 years younger after our Smile Designs and just imagine their
rejuvenated spirit!
Q: How quick can veneers give me a gorgeous smile?
A: Our clients can usually get the smile of their dreams in a
couple of visits. At the first veneer appointment, your teeth
are prepared, impressions are taken, and you will walk out of the office
with custom temporary veneers. In the second appointment, we permanently
seat the veneers. Imagine getting a new smile within one month
-- one that actually fits your face and personality and gives you the
confidence to express the real you!
Q: Can veneers help correct my crooked teeth faster than braces?
A: Porcelain veneers are a perfect alternative to braces for many
adults. Veneers can correct the shape of teeth that are not aligned
correctly, have gaps and spaces. Older patients, who have always
wanted straighter teeth but no desire to undergo years of treatment
with braces, usually love this new technique. Instead of months
and years in braces, crooked teeth can usually be corrected in as little
as two weeks with veneers. In fact, even if you have had braces
in the past but the size and shape of your teeth is not pleasing to
you, veneers may be the perfect solution. See our Smile Gallery
for amazing examples of what "instant ortho" looks like.
Q: How are the teeth prepared for veneers?
A: Unlike crowns, usually only a thin layer of enamel is removed
from the teeth to make room for the veneers. This allows us to
make the veneers to the proper contour without them appearing to be
bulky or unnatural. In some individuals, the amount of tooth reduction
is dependent on the final effect.
Q: How are veneers placed on the teeth?
A: New advances in bonding technology allow us to create an extremely
strong bond between your teeth and the veneers. The teeth are
first prepared with a bonding adhesive and special resin cement is used
as the "glue." The resin cement is available in a number
of different colors to give the best possible aesthetic result. The
veneers are bonded to the teeth using a special dental curing light,
which helps to create a stronger, longer-lasting bond between the veneer
and your tooth. The durability, look and simplicity of application
make it easy to see why veneers have become one of the most popular
dental treatments available today.
Q: How many veneers are needed for a new Smile Design?
A: This depends entirely on the desired result. If there
is only one tooth that is discolored or malformed, then a single veneer
may be able to be used. To get a more balanced and even looking
result, many times it is recommended that several veneers (from 4 to
8) be done at the same time. This allows us to get the most beautiful
result possible. When closing large gaps between teeth, 6 to 10
veneers may be necessary to get a proper aesthetic result.
Q: How long will porcelain veneers last?
A: There are no hard and fast rules about how long porcelain veneers
will last. While you can certainly expect your veneers to last
many years (some patients have had them for 20 or more years), it is
unrealistic to expect them to last forever. With good home care
and by exercising good judgment, it seems likely that a porcelain veneer
could last well in excess of 10 to 15 years. Ask about our 5-year
limited warranty.
Q: Will my teeth be sensitive after I get veneers?
A: Some people experience sensitivity (to hot and cold or pressure,
etc.) after the placement of veneers. Some sensitivity is absolutely
normal and usually dissipates spontaneously from a day or so to a couple
of weeks. The reason for the sensitivity can arise from the amount
of enamel left on your tooth after preparation, the proximity of the
nerve, as well as several other factors. If this sensitivity remains
or concerns you at all, please contact Dr. Jones.
Q: Will I need to change my diet after getting veneers?
A: Once placed, your veneers are very strong and will resist most
of the forces placed upon them by a normal diet, so a normal diet should
pose no problem at all. Porcelain has great crushing strength
but poor tensile strength. Therefore, you should avoid anything
that will bend or twist the veneers. As with your regular teeth,
opening bottle caps with your teeth or crunching on hard candy or ice
is not a good idea.
Q: How do you maintain new porcelain veneers and what follow-up
care is recommended?
A: With proper home care and scheduled dental visits, veneers
can provide you with a beautiful smile for many years. A week
or two after the placement of your veneers, we ask that you return to
our office for a cosmetic polish and treatment evaluation. This
visit is extremely important. It gives us the opportunity to evaluate
the placement of the veneers, the tissue response and to answer any
questions you might have regarding your new smile design. For
example, if you grind or clench your teeth, please let us know. We
can fabricate a soft night guard for you to wear to minimize the stresses
placed upon your teeth while you sleep.
The maintenance of your porcelain veneers is relatively simple. Brush
and floss as you normally would to prevent oral hygiene problems. Once
placed, veneers are typically the kindest restoration to the gum tissues
that we currently have available. Don't be afraid that you'll
damage your veneers by either flossing or brushing. Any non-abrasive
toothpaste is acceptable. A good home care regimen will help ensure
the aesthetic success of your veneers.
Q: When would porcelain veneers maybe not be right for me?
A:
Porcelain veneers cannot be placed on teeth where there is decay or
active periodontal disease (gum disease). These conditions must
be treated by your dentist before porcelain veneers can be successfully
fabricated and placed:
Porcelain
veneers cannot be placed on teeth that have a significant amount
of tooth structure lost as a result of decay or fracture, or else already
replaced by a dental filling. Porcelain veneers do not significantly
strengthen the teeth on which they are placed. Teeth that have,
or have had, a history of a loss of a significant amount of tooth structure
are usually better treated by placing an inlay or onlay or full crown.
Porcelain
veneers can only be successfully bonded onto tooth enamel. Some
teeth, as a result of excessive wear or previous attempts at dental
bonding, may have little or no enamel remaining on their front side.
These teeth do not make good candidates for porcelain veneers.
Persons
who clench and grind their teeth can make poor candidates for porcelain
veneers. The forces created by these activities, termed bruxism, can
easily chip or break porcelain veneers. Possibly a person can
successfully control their bruxing habits during their waking hours,
but during sleep a bruxer has essentially no control over this activity.
If a person who bruxes does have veneers placed, they must be
committed to wearing a plastic dental night guard when they sleep so
to minimize the amount of stress placed on their veneers.
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