Veneers Libertyville, IL
What Are Porcelain Veneers?
Porcelain veneers consist of an ultra-thin piece of porcelain that is applied to the surface of the teeth. The objective of porcelain veneers is to create the appearance of beautiful, attractive and natural-looking teeth. Cosmetic dentistry professionals use porcelain veneers extensively to help those with imperfect smiles to attain realistic, near-perfect smiles. Another name for porcelain veneers is “instant orthodontics.” This isn’t because porcelain veneers are instant to apply; rather, it’s because they don’t take years to show effects, like orthodontics such as braces.
Benefits of Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are one of the most popular cosmetic dentistry treatments for very good reasons. There are many benefits of porcelain veneers. First of all, they are suited for people of all ages, including youngsters and seniors. As long as the person’s teeth are in relatively good condition, porcelain veneers can be a possible option. Here are some of the many benefits of porcelain veneers:
- color whitening or correction on one or more teeth
- correction of the effects of teeth grinding
- filling spaces in between teeth
- correction of cracked or chipped teeth
- covering up irregularly-shaped or uneven teeth
Why Choose Porcelain Veneers?
There are two different kinds of veneers, porcelain and composite. By far, the most popular choice is porcelain veneers. Why is that? Porcelain veneers are a great choice because:
- they have higher stain resistance
- they are more durable
- they reflect light in a more natural way that mimics natural teeth
- application doesn’t require an excessive amount of tooth enamel removal
- maintenance is minimal; care and maintenance is similar to natural teeth
The Procedure
The actual procedure to apply porcelain veneers consists of a two-step process that takes place over two dentist appointments. At your first appointment, the dentist will take impressions of your teeth. The impressions will include the teeth that you’re having porcelain veneers applied to, as well as the neighboring teeth. This enables the dentist to make an accurate model of your teeth. The dentist will also likely take x-rays of your teeth to confirm that they are in healthy enough condition to get porcelain veneers. The dentist will then send along the impressions to a dental lab, which will produce the actual veneers. Between one and two weeks later, you’ll be contacted to let you know that the veneers are back from the lab. This is when you’ll have your second appointment with the dentist.
At the second appointment, the dentist will remove a very thin layer of enamel from the surface of the teeth to be treated. About 3% of the enamel will be removed. The actual amount will depend on the condition of your teeth. One the dentist has trimmed the teeth, the veneers are applied one by one. The dentist uses a special bonding cement to apply the veneers to the surface of the teeth. You’ll be able to visually see how the veneers look in place before they become permanent. At this point, the dentist can make adjustments based on your feed back. Once the exact placement has been decided upon, the veneers are permanently adhered to the teeth using a special beam of light. With proper care, porcelain veneers can last many decades, up to a lifetime.
Porcelain veneers solve a range of cosmetic problems with teeth. If you have less than perfect teeth, it’s worth it to consider having one or more porcelain veneers applied. Contact us to learn more about your options for a more beautiful smile.
