Veneers are a thin layer of restorative material placed over a tooth surface, either to improve the aesthetics of a tooth, or to protect a damaged tooth surface. We can apply veneers on teeth that may have been fractured or discolored, or on multiple teeth to create a “Hollywood” type of smile makeover.
There are two main types of material used to fabricate a veneer, composite and porcelain. A composite veneer may be directly placed in the patient’s mouth. This technique works well on single teeth with diastemas (gaps) or teeth that are discolored or stained. This is a quick one visit procedure with a beautiful result.
Porcelain veneers are the preferred treatment for people who have worn away the edges of their teeth resulting in a prematurely aged appearance or malpositioned teeth that appear crooked. Multiple veneers can close these spaces, lengthen teeth that have been shortened by wear, provide a uniform color, shape, and symmetry, and make the teeth appear straight. Dental veneers fall into the category of cosmetic dentistry because they create a bright, white smile with beautifully aligned, shapely teeth. Even better, the translucent ceramic quality of today’s veneers provides a more natural look than what’s been available in the past. Veneer treatments will take a dull smile and turn it into an amazing one in just two visits to our office.
When using veneers, the teeth’s appearance can be changed with minimal tooth preparation (e.g. drilling). Many veneer procedures can be done with the use of little or no local anesthetic. Traditionally, a reduction of approximately 0.5 mm is required for a porcelain veneer. It can be very difficult to match the shade of an individual veneer to the remaining teeth, hence placing several veneers is common. This will create a consistent and striking smile.