- Dental veneers are thin shells of porcelain custom-designed and custom-stained to cover existing tooth structure. Veneers help us create ideal shape and color for individual or multiple teeth.
- Reasons for dental veneers include the following:
- Stained or discolored teeth not improved by traditional whitening/bleaching procedures
- Misshapen or mal-aligned (crooked) teeth as an alternative to braces
- To give a fuller smile when teeth are small
- Correct and close gaps and spacing between front teeth
- Repair chipped teeth
- Any combination of the above conditions
- When a bigger, brighter, more uniform smile is desired.
- The video below helps explain the treatment process for veneers:
- Lab fabricated veneers, while more costly, allow for optimal strength, longevity, and esthetics.
- At Dental Care on Golf Links, we strive to offer the best dentistry in a calm and comfortable environment. For optimal results that not only look a feel fantastic, but are durable and long-lasting, the process described below is often used. Whether we are altering the appearance of your front teeth with veneers, or rehabilitating your smile after years of tooth wear and/or tooth loss, the process is generally the same:
- Diagnostic models/photos: Impressions of upper and lower teeth are taken, models are poured and mounted on an articulator, and these models are evaluated by both the dentist and lab technician. A series of photographs are also taken during this appointment and are evaluated to help create ideal tooth position for optimal final esthetics.
- Diagnostic wax up: a wax up or “mock up” to create the desired outcome is done by the lab technician. This information helps us to:
- Determine if preliminary treatment like orthodontics is necessary before restoring teeth.
- Test-drive the appearance of the proposed treatment in your mouth before moving forward with treatment.
- Create a model from which we can fabricate temporary crowns/veneers
- Preparation and temporization: Teeth are prepared and temporary crowns/veneers are worn for a period of time before final restorations are bonded in. This allows us to not only test-drive and ensure you are happy with the appearance, but also know that the teeth are well-designed to fit and function in your mouth, thus avoiding future complications such as chipping and fracturing of the final restorations
- Final restorations are tried in the mouth, evaluated for proper fit and desired esthetic outcome, and finally bonded to place, finishing your treatment.
- Veneering can also be done with white composite filling material by your dentist in a single visit. This can be a more affordable alternative to traditional veneers, and should be discussed with your dentist.