703.478.9574Porcelain Veneers FAQs
Reston and Arlington, VA
- What are porcelain veneers?
- When are porcelain veneers used?
- What is the procedure like?
- What are the benefits of porcelain veneers?
- How do they look?
- How long do porcelain veneers last?
- Which should I do first: get porcelain veneers or have my teeth whitened?
- Can porcelain veneers be used instead of braces?
- What do porcelain veneers feel like?
What are porcelain veneers?
Porcelain veneers -- also called ceramic veneers -- are thin shells of ceramic material which are permanently bonded to the front surface of teeth. They are custom-made for your mouth, and are custom colored to match the surrounding teeth.
Porcelain veneers can be applied to multiple teeth on both the top and bottom rows.
Porcelain veneers are a more conservative alternative to crowns.
When are porcelain veneers used?
Porcelain veneers are used to change a tooth's color, size and/or shape. This includes:
-Teeth which are chipped or broken
-Teeth which are crooked or misaligned
-Teeth -- including front teeth -- which have gaps between them
-Teeth which are stained, including staining due to injury, root canal and tetracycline.
-Teeth -- including front teeth -- with discolored fillings
-Teeth which are worn or ground down
This patient had large discolored restorations with fractured enamel. She
received 8 porcelain veneers. The patient is very happy and smiles all the time.
What is the procedure like?
Applying porcelain veneers usually requires three dental appointments over the course of about a month.
In the first appointment, the teeth are lightly buffed down. This prepares them for the slight additional thickness of the veneer. Approximately half a millimeter of tooth is removed. Often, a local anesthetic is used during this buffing procedure. A mold is then taken of the teeth. The mold is sent to a dental laboratory, and used to create the veneers.
In the interim period between the two appointments, the teeth will look a little different than usual because, due to the buffing procedure, they will have been reduced in size. In some (usually more extreme) cases, temporary veneers can be placed.
Typically, it takes about two weeks for the dental laboratory to create the veneers.
In the second appointment, the laboratory-created veneers are bonded to the teeth. First, the dentist uses either water or glycerin to place the veneers onto the teeth. This non-permanent attachment is to check the veneers fit, shade and color. The color of the veneers can be adjusted based upon the shade of dental cement used. However, the color cannot be altered after the veneers are cemented.
Once the correct color is determined, the veneer is ready to be attached permanently with dental cement. The cement is sandwiched between the veneer and the tooth, and then a special light beam is applied. This light initiates the release of a catalyst, which hardens the cement and permanently affixes the veneers.
Placing veneers is a meticulous and delicate procedure. Each veneer must be fitted individually. As a result, this second appointment can last several hours.
Once the veneers are applied, there is a one to two week adjustment period, and then a final, follow-up appointment.
What are the benefits of porcelain veneers?
Porcelain veneers can create dramatic dental changes relatively quickly. Veneers can even be used as a substitute for extensive orthodontic work. Multiple gaps, stains, chips and a host of other problems -- on numerous teeth -- can be taken care of in just a few appointments.
Porcelain is also highly resistant to staining. With proper brushing habits, porcelain veneers will retain their whiteness and, compared to other forms of cosmetic dentistry, will be relatively unaffected by coffee, wine and even cigarettes.
How do they look?
Porcelain veneers are among the most natural-looking, esthetically-pleasing restorations available.
However, porcelain veneers are not perfect replacements for real teeth. There may be some slight variations in the color of the veneers, just as there are slight variations in the translucency of real teeth.
Additionally, it's important to note that anything which can break a natural tooth can break a veneer. This means that you should avoid foods or activities which could put your new teeth at risk of damage or destruction.
How long do porcelain veneers last?
If they’re (a) done by a properly qualified and experienced cosmetic dentist, and (b) properly cared for, they should last at least 10 years, and possibly much longer.
They were first done in the 1980s. Since then, improvements have been made in dental bonding materials, and cosmetic dentists have gained a lot more experience in doing them.
Not everyone is an ideal candidate for porcelain veneers. If your bite is too misaligned, the veneers could be subject to abnormal stresses which might crack or dislodge them before their time. An experienced cosmetic dentist will first test your bite, as part of his assessment of your dental status.
Which should I do first: get porcelain veneers or have my teeth whitened?
Have your teeth whitened first. Then your porcelain veneers can be matched in color and texture to your whitened natural teeth. Porcelain can’t be whitened, so to do things the other way around would lead to mismatched tooth colors.
Can porcelain veneers be used instead of braces?
Sometimes. Dr. Katz would assess your situation to determine that for you.
Braces, whether traditional fixed braces or Invisalign™ trays, are an orthodontic procedure to straighten crooked teeth and correct the spacing between teeth. The result, after 1 to 3 years, is a smooth, straight line of teeth.
Porcelain veneers can achieve that smooth, straight line in just a couple of weeks. But they don’t move your natural teeth.
Porcelain veneers also do other things: they cover stains, spots, gaps, chips, and slight crookedness.
What do porcelain veneers feel like?
They feel like your natural teeth. Although they’re an added layer on the front of your teeth, they aren’t adding thickness or bulk to your teeth. Why? Because your dentist prepared the teeth before attaching them, by buffing down a tiny amount of their enamel, to make room for the extremely thin veneers.
If your veneers are covering some gaps, chips, or misalignment which you were used to, you’ll have a week or two of adjustment while you get used to the new smoothness of your teeth.
You won’t feel the presence of the veneers after a couple of weeks. They’ll just be part of your natural teeth.
If you live in the Vienna, Arlington and Alexandria area, contact Dr. Katz today and schedule a Free Smile Evaluation
