Cosmetic veneers can transform the appearance of your smile. This treatment option involves permanently bonding tooth-shaped, custom-made enhancements to the front-facing sides of teeth. Cosmetic veneers conceal diverse types of dental imperfections including worn, broken, and stained teeth. Veneers can produce the appearance of a flaw-free, white, and straight smile.
How Cosmetic Veneers Work
In addition to being made from natural-looking porcelain, cosmetic veneers are made to very exact dimensions so that they perfectly accommodate a person’s unique oral anatomy. If porcelain veneers are too thick or too large, they will not look natural. This is why each veneer is custom made to correspond to a specific tooth.
How Porcelain Veneers are Placed
Although receiving porcelain veneers requires slightly altering tooth structure, it is not an invasive procedure. The process to place veneers takes two appointments. During a person’s first appointment, their tooth structure is slightly reduced in order to create a “bed” for the veneers so that they do not stick out too far.
Diagnostic images and photographs are then taken to help dental professionals determine the proper specifications for each veneer. These specifications and photographs are sent to a dental laboratory so that technicians can make veneers. Once veneers are constructed, patients will return to their dentist’s office for their placement.
Before placing veneers, teeth are gently etched to roughen their surface. This part of the placement process is important because it helps the bonding solution adhere to natural tooth structure and veneers. Each veneer is carefully placed over its corresponding tooth and while the bonding solution dries, final adjustments can be made with its positioning to ensure a natural-looking, beautiful result.
If you’re interested in improving your teeth with veneers, we recommend scheduling a smile makeover consultation with our talented team at Dakota Prosthodontics and Implant Center.
