What are dental veneers?
Dental veneers are extremely thin shells of porcelain or composite resin attached to the front surface of your teeth. The dentist takes impressions of your teeth and fabricates tooth-colored and tooth-shaped shells that are attached to your teeth. Cosmetic dentistry with porcelain veneers doesn’t serve any functional benefits, but it dramatically improves the appearance of your teeth and smile. Dental veneers conceal and replace the external enamel of your teeth, which may be damaged and imperfect, with perfectly fabricated and designed porcelain chips.
Dental veneers can also conceal all cosmetic problems, such as stains and discoloration, extremely small teeth, gaps between the teeth, minor misalignment issues, and other concerns. Furthermore, instead of waiting for months for the results to appear, dental veneers provide instant transformations. Your teeth will look perfectly uniform immediately after the procedure. You can get a few dental veneers for your irregular or stained teeth, or you can get a complete range of dental veneers for all of your visible teeth.
What are porcelain dental veneers?
Porcelain dental veneers are thin shells of porcelain attached to the front face of your teeth. Dental veneers can be porcelain or composite resin, but porcelain dental veneers are generally considered to be better and superior. Porcelain is the ideal material for dental veneers because it resembles the shade, texture, and translucent properties of natural enamel. Porcelain also reflects light in the same way as enamel, so porcelain veneers look completely natural and indistinguishable from natural teeth.
Furthermore, porcelain veneers are also stain-resistant, so, in some ways, they’re even better than natural enamel. Natural enamel is a porous material, so it traps color and stains from tea, coffee, and other such items. But porcelain is a non-porous material, so it can’t hold any stains. When you brush your teeth, you can remove all the stains instantly, leaving nothing behind. While natural enamel inevitably gets stained and becomes yellowish with time, porcelain veneers remain bright and white.
Who can benefit from veneers?
Dental veneers are suitable for anyone seeking to enhance the aesthetic value of their teeth and smile. If you have certain cosmetic concerns that cause self-consciousness while smiling, you can definitely benefit from veneers. You can benefit from cosmetic dentistry with porcelain veneers if you:
- Have intrinsically stained or discolored teeth
- Have irregularly shaped teeth
- Have chipped or cracked teeth
- Have gaps between your teeth
- Have extremely small teeth
- Have minor misalignment issues
- Want instant results without waiting for months
- Want to address all of your cosmetic issues at once
When do I need dental veneers?
No one “needs” dental veneers because they’re purely cosmetic and elective. But if you’re self-conscious about your smile and feel the need to hide your teeth behind pursed lips, you can probably benefit from dental veneers. You can get two front teeth veneers, veneers for small teeth, or even full mouth dental veneers to elevate the aesthetic value of your smile. Your dentist will examine your teeth, discuss your goals and concerns, and determine if you can benefit from porcelain veneers.
What is the porcelain dental veneer procedure?
Your porcelain dental veneer procedure starts with a thorough consultation. The cosmetic dentist will carefully examine your teeth, take impressions of your teeth, and discuss your goals and concerns. After understanding your cosmetic concerns, the dentist will discuss your dental veneer options, including the materials, size of veneers, the shape of veneers, and more. The cosmetic dentist will also use advanced software to provide a visual prediction of how you’ll look after the dental veneer procedure.
Once the dental veneer plan is approved, the dentist will shave off some of the enamel from the front surface of your teeth. The dentist must remove some of the enamel to make space for the dental veneers. This shouldn’t hurt at all because the enamel doesn’t contain nerve endings. After shaving off the enamel, the dentist will take impressions of your teeth and use a dental mold to capture the shape of your teeth.
The cosmetic dentist will send the impressions to a dental laboratory. Meanwhile, the dentist may offer temporary veneers that you can wear until the permanent dental veneers are prepared. Once the permanent dental veneers are prepared, the dentist will remove the temporary veneers and prepare your teeth. The dentist will etch the front face of your teeth and bond the permanent porcelain veneers to your teeth using dental cement. Finally, your teeth will be polished carefully.
What is the porcelain veneers’ recovery time?
There is no recovery time after porcelain veneers. Since porcelain veneers are attached to the front face of your teeth, there are no pain or side effects. You may resume your daily activities and work immediately after your porcelain veneer procedure.
How long do dental veneers last?
Dental veneers can last approximately 10 to 15 years with proper care and maintenance. You must brush and floss your teeth regularly, visit the dentist for regular dental cleanings, and avoid using your teeth for anything other than eating. You should also wear mouthguards while playing contact sports and night guards while sleeping to prevent damage caused by teeth grinding. If you follow the dentist’s aftercare guidelines, you can easily make porcelain veneers last 10 to 15 years, following which they will have to be replaced.
Will my veneer teeth be sensitive to hot and cold?
You may experience mild sensitivity after receiving dental veneers, especially to hot and cold objects. But sensitivity is temporary and should dissipate within a few days.
Schedule an appointment for porcelain dental veneers in Houston, Texas
Dentist Veneers Houston is a state-of-the-art dental clinic specializing in dental veneers in Houston. Our dental clinic is led by cosmetic dentists who use cutting-edge techniques to fabricate the ideal porcelain dental veneers according to your goals and facial anatomy. You can find our dental clinic at 2400 Mid Ln. #350, Houston, a short drive from the Galleria shopping mall. Please schedule an appointment for porcelain dental veneers in Houston, Texas.
