Porcelain Veneers

Veneers may be placed on the surface of teeth that are chipped, crooked or badly stained to improve their look and feel.

Made usually of porcelain or composites by dental lab technicians, these thin, translucent laminates are customized according to the existing dental structure of the patient. With the help of a special adhesive, veneers are fixed permanently onto the teeth. Compared to dental bonding or crowns, veneers look and feel more natural and they are significantly better at resisting stains which occur from various sources such as soda, cigarettes and coffee.

The installation of veneers usually involves diagnosis, preparation and bonding. During diagnosis, the dentist will inform you if veneers can be of help in your situation. If so, the tooth preparation visit consists of slight removal of enamel (about half a millimeter) in order to make space for the veneer. At times, the dentist will administer anesthesia for this portion of the procedure. During the same appointment, a mold of the affected area is taken and sent to the dental lab for the custom veneers to be made.

The final visit – normally lasting one to two hours – consists of bonding the veneers onto the tooth. Primarily, the dentist will place the veneers onto the tooth’s surface to ensure they fit and to match the color to your teeth. The color can be adjusted with dental cement. Once all adjustments are complete, a laser will be used to harden the cement.

Several weeks after the procedure, you will adjust to the new look and feel of the teeth. While they will not feel like your own teeth, in some cases they may even feel better. It is important to remember that good oral hygiene is important to keep the durability of your veneers.