Veneers
Veneers are made out of composite resin-based ultra-thin shells, usually porcelain. They are fixed on the patients’ teeth and can fix anything from tooth color, alignment, or even correct cracked, chipped, widely spaced or uneven teeth. The procedure may require some local anesthesia. However, in most cases, no anesthesia needed. With veneers, you can mask your teeth discolorations, brighten your teeth and improve your smile.
WHY CHOOSE VENEERS?
Porcelain veneers are applied to enhance the appearance of a patients’ teeth. They hide your dental flaws such as cracked, stained, chipped, widely spaced or uneven teeth. For the misaligned teeth, the thin laminates smooth out their appearance by covering up any unevenness. When it comes to teeth discoloration that is mostly caused by lifestyle habits, old age, or genetic inheritance, veneers help by beautifying them and enhancing their appearance. Nonetheless, dental veneers remain a cosmetic procedure strictly. All they do is enhance the appearance of otherwise functional and healthy teeth. They are only recommended for patients who only wish to correct the appearance of their healthy teeth.
PROCEDURE
Depending on your condition, you might need a maximum of three appointments for the whole procedure, usually: diagnosis, treatment planning, preparation, and bonding. To begin with, know what you want exactly and ensure that your dentist gets it fully. Remain active in the smile design, spend enough time planning for the smile, understand each limitation of the procedure and consult as much as it will be enough for you and your dentist’s understanding. The actual procedure begins by preparing your teeth for the veneers. Your teeth will be lightly buffed, allowing small added thickness from the veneers. About a half millimetre of your tooth will be removed. At this point, a local anesthetic may be required. After preparing the tooth, your dentist will carefully bond and sculpt the composite material on your teeth.
For ceramic veneers, your dentist will first take a mold of your teeth then send it to the lab for fabrication. The whole procedure here takes several days but if your teeth are too unsightly, your dentist might consider using a temporary veneer at an additional cost. From the laboratory, your dentist will then place each of the ceramic veneers on your teeth to check their fit while getting a sense of the color or shade. Your role at this point is to pay close attention to the results, especially the color. It is only at this time that you can have the color of your veneers adjusted if it does not rhyme with the shade of the cement to be used because the color cannot be adjusted after your veneers are cemented. The last procedure involves the application of the veneers. Before this, your teeth will be cleansed using specific chemicals. This is done to achieve a bond. A specific cement is then sandwiched between your teeth and the veneers, and a light beam is used to harden the cement.
MAINTENANCE
After the procedure, your teeth will have changed in shape and size. It might take you a week or two to adjust to the “new” teeth. Brush and floss the teeth daily followed by a follow-up appointment with your dentist after one or two weeks. You should take care when eating tough foods and avoid grinding your teeth.
VENEERS COST
The cost of veneers ranges from $500 each to $2000 each.