What is the procedure for porcelain veneers?

Porcelain veneers in richmond virginia are a natural-looking restorative option for patients looking to improve their smile! The nearest can correct chipped or broken teeth, gaps, crooked teeth, and worn or discolored teeth. Porcelain veneers are durable and can last up to 20 years with proper care and maintenance. Below, we will review the process for porcelain veneer treatment.

Preparing Your Teeth

Placing veneers involves trimming down a very small amount of your natural tooth structure. If you have any decay in your teeth that are receiving veneers, your dentist will remove the decay at the same time. Slimming down the tooth allows adequate space for the veneer to be seated. The amount of natural tooth structure is typically between .5 and .7 millimeters.

Making a Model of Your Teeth

After prepping your teeth, your dentist will make an impression of your entire mouth using impression material in a tray that is inserted into your mouth and pressed on to cover all of the teeth. Some offices may have the technology to take a digital impression! A lot of patients with a sensitive gag reflex prefer this option. Digital impressions allow your doctor to use a camera on a wand to scan all of the surfaces of your teeth. Your doctor will use the impression to fabricate a model of your teeth. The model is used to measure your mouth so that the veneers are a perfect size!

Determining Shade

If you are receiving one or two veneers, your dentist will color match the porcelain to the surrounding teeth so that there is no color discrepancy between your natural teeth and your veneers. they will also determine the translucency of your teeth to make sure that they match your natural teeth. If you are receiving an entire set of veneers to cover all of the teeth that show when you smile, your veneers can be whiter than your natural teeth!

Placing Temporary Veneers

Your dentist will make temporary veneers for you to wear while your permanent porcelain veneers are being fabricated at a dental lab. These veneers will protect your prepared teeth until your permanent veneers can be placed. Temporaries are put in using temporary cement so that it is easy for your dentist to remove them when it is time to place your permanent veneers. While you are in temps, it is important to stay away from hard or crunchy foods and anything to eat that could pull your temporary out. If you can, cutting all of your food into small bites is the best way to keep your temporaries in.

Placing Permanent Veneers

Yay! Your beautiful new veneers are back from the lab! Your dentist will have you come in for a fitting to make sure that the veneers sit correctly and that they are perfect for you. During this fitting, it is important to take note of how the veneers feel in your mouth and let your dentist know if anything is bothering you.

Once you are both satisfied, your dentist will place your permanent veneers. The inside of the veneer is etched with an acidic etching solution that helps create an optimal bonding surface. The etching solution is rinsed away and the permanent cement is placed on the veneer which is then affixed to the tooth. Your dentist will cure the cement with an ultraviolet light to create a permanent bond between the tooth and the veneer.

Any refinements and final adjustments will be made to make sure that you are 100% happy with your beautiful new smile!

More on Porcelain Veneers : Porcelain vs Composite Veneers