What is a Dental Veneer?
Dental veneers are thin pieces of durable, tooth-shaped material (usually porcelain) that are custom-made to be cemented to the fronts of your teeth to make them look better.
Custom-made in a dental laboratory, veneers are designed to match your unique smile. Once prepared, they are then bonded to your teeth, making their colour and shape more even and symmetrical.
If your teeth are broken, crooked or discoloured, veneers may be used to improve their appearance and make your smile uniform.
The Dental Veneer Process
Two or more appointments may be required before your veneers are permanently attached to your teeth. One of the benefits of veneers is that little to no anesthesia is required during the process.
During your first appointment, your teeth will be lightly buffed and shaped. Impressions will be taken, and you and your dentist will choose the shade of white you'd like your veneers to be.
This information is sent to a dental laboratory where your veneers are created. When they're ready, you'll come back to our dental office to have them placed.
At this visit, your dentist will clean and score your teeth to ensure the veneers have a solid surface to bond to. Then, your dentist will place bonding cement between the tooth and the veneer, which will be cured with a special light.
You will receive care instructions for veneers. Proper brushing, flossing and regular dental visits will aid in the life of your new veneers.
How Porcelain Veneers May Help
Dental veneers are a versatile solution to many cosmetic dental health care issues. They can be used in the following situations:
- Create a uniform, white, beautiful smile
- Alter the appearance of crooked teeth
- Change the shape of teeth
- Cover severely discoloured or stained teeth
- Change the size of teeth that are too small or large
- Remove unwanted or uneven spaces
- Cover worn or chipped teeth