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.
