A common question we get is what are veneers?
Veneers or Porcelain Laminate Veneers are the strongest way to repair a broken portion of your tooth. They are used to correct the same things as bonding does. They can cover up discoloration, repair a damaged tooth or change the shape or size of your teeth. Many doctors highly suggest veneers for cosmetic reasons if there has been damage to natural teeth or if you are simply unhappy with how your teeth look. They are much stronger than bonding. They will not pick up stain like bonding does. They will retain their luster, unlike bonding. They will usually last 4 or more years. I have seen them last 20 years.
Some veneers can be made with little or no preparation of the teeth. This will increase the thickness of the teeth and not everyone is a candidate for this no-prep veneer. Ask your dentist if you are.
Ideally, models of your teeth can be waxed-up so one can see the size and shape of the final product before any preparation has been started. This is a two appointment procedure. The first appointment is the preparation phase. A small amount of enamel is removed off the front of the tooth and an impression is made. The impression is sent to the lab and the lab makes a front of the tooth, much like a false fingernail, out of porcelain. The dentist tries in, bonds, trims and polishes the veneers at the next appointment. The seating is usually a time consuming appointment and can last for hours. But usually quite worth the wait.
Compared to crowns, veneers are a more conservative method for restoring a moderately fractured tooth. They average from $750 to $2000 per tooth. Make sure you select a dentist that has the proper training to do an excellent job. Make sure your dentist shows you photos of actual cases that they have performed to see the quality of their work.
great information on explaining veneers. We create websites for dentists and provide a lot of information on these websites. Patients do go online and read information on the dentists, the types of services they provide and much more. So patient education like you provided above is very crucial. Thanks PJ
Why is more attention and concern not given to the use of the highly toxic and radioactive heavy metal “Uranium” in dental porcelain work?? Toxic nuclear waste being intentionally put in human mouths is abhorrent. Internal exposure even in so-called ‘low dose’ levels significantly impacts human immune function at the cellular level. It is immoral for the ‘medical establishment’ to fall back on a flawed, 19th century scientific model of ‘safety’. Especially when cutting edge, peer reviewed scientific evidence presents so clearly the dangers of exposure at the cellular level. Dentists owe it to their patients, their staff and to themselves to become more informed of just what constitutes ‘ceramic’ and other notable toxic applications. Putting corporate profit ahead of human safety is immoral and un American. Do no harm? Right.
Nice article! I’m a dental student and it is always interesting reading articles about veneers. We don’t do those at my school. Check out the article I wrote about the cost of veneers!
What Are Veneers? And How to Get Them Done
Getting a dental veneer done usually takes about three trips to the dentist but it is important that you know what are veneers? The first trip for an opinion from the dentist to whether or not they should have the treatment done. The second trip is to make and apply the veneers. There are approximately three steps to getting the veneer process done. The first step is Diagnosis and Treatment Planning, the second is Preparation, and the third step is bonding. The first step requires understanding and participation between you and your dentist. Tell the dentist why you think that veneers are important for you and why you think that you should get them done. Your dentist will take X-rays of your mouth and teeth and see if you really do need veneers. Preparation requires preparing the tooth for a veneer. Bonding is the last step to veneering, which is also important.