Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers, which are also known as porcelain laminates and dental veneers, are extremely thin wafers of porcelain that are bonded to the front of the teeth to cover up imperfections and uneven spacing. With these veneers, discoloration and staining are hidden and crooked teeth made to appear to be straight in just a few days. It is the quick way to an attractive natural-looking smile.
What Do Porcelain Veneers Correct?
It is important to remember that porcelain veneers are not a suitable form of treatment for all conditions where the teeth may be stained or crooked. There are other treatment options and at Unismile Dental we evaluate each patient carefully, discuss the pros and cons of the various treatment alternatives with the patients and only then recommend a course of treatment, which could be the use of veneers. Another factor that patients need to be aware of is that the quality of the aesthetic results of porcelain veneers depends a great deal on the technical and artistic skill of the dentist. Once again Unismile Dental offers the advantages of both years of experience and the highest levels of technical and artistic skill.
Porcelain veneers can be used to correct a variety of problems and the most common of them are:
- Worn down and old looking teeth
- Teeth that are uneven
- Crooked teeth
- Too much of the gum is seen when smiling
- Yellow teeth which cannot be treated by whitening or bleaching
- Gray-colored spaces between the teeth caused by taking certain medications
- Sensitive teeth that can be very painful when subjected to heat or cold
An uneven bite can be treated with these veneers but this is a complex process and bite reconstruction without grinding down the natural teeth is the preferred option.
The Advantages of Porcelain Veneers
Unlike older veneers, the new porcelain ones are resistant to staining caused by tea or coffee consumption or even cigarette smoking. Porcelain veneers look completely natural and it is impossible for anyone to detect that they are present. The life of these veneers has also improved of late and current veneers last between 10 and 50 years, depending on how well they are fitted and the care taken of them. Because they can be brushed and flossed just like natural teeth, a person using them soon forgets that they are there. In fact, over time, the veneers become integrated into the natural tooth structure. The treatment time for fitting porcelain veneers is very short and in most cases can be completed in just a few days. Complex cases may take more time.
At Unismile Dental we brief all our patients on the pros and cons of veneers versus other treatment options and work with then to ensure that the choice they make is the right one for them.
How Porcelain Veneers Are Applied
The process begins with a mold being taken of the tooth or teeth needing the veneer because each veneer is specially fabricated for the tooth it will be bonded to. A special very strong and long-lasting bonding material is used to hold the veneer in place. The patient is able to see the veneer in the mouth before the actual bonding is done so that he or she can be satisfied with the color shade and appearance of the veneer. When the patient is satisfied the veneer is fixed in place and the patient goes home. It is as simple as that.
