Interested in repairing a chipped tooth? Ask our Grand Rapids cosmetic dentists if porcelain veneers are right for your smile. Veneers are wafer-thin slices of porcelain that our dentists can bond to the fronts of your teeth that show when you smile and talk. They’re perfect for camouflaging imperfections like severe stains, chips, gaps, or irregularly shaped teeth.
Here’s what you need to know about the porcelain veneers procedure.
Getting Evaluated
If you have ever felt self-conscious about your smile, you owe it to yourself to schedule a consultation with our local cosmetic dentists. During this one-on-one visit, we’ll thoroughly evaluate your teeth, gums, jaws, and overall oral health history to determine what cosmetic dental treatments are right for you. If you’re set on having veneers applied, we’ll be able to guide you on the number recommended, placement, and the shade that’s best for your smile.
If chosen, dental veneers are able to fix:
- Tooth discoloration
- Chipped teeth
- Small gaps between teeth
- Irregularly-shaped teeth
Whether you want to move forward with fixing stained teeth, gaps, or teeth that may be smaller than you’d like, this personalized discussion serves as a great opportunity to align expectations and establish a roadmap for your smile makeover. It is worth noting that if we find something of concern while examining your mouth, i.e. a cavity or signs of gum disease, we will need to address and treat the issue prior to pushing on with tooth veneers.
How We Prep Your Teeth for Veneers
The process of is a precise phase where our dentists remove a minimal amount of tooth enamel and shape teeth to create the ideal canvas for porcelain veneer placement. This step aims to preserve as much natural tooth structure as possible while ensuring the dental veneers fit as they should.
Once teeth are fully prepped, we’ll take digital impressions and place temporary veneers on to offer you a preview of the final result. This temporary placement protects your teeth and allows for a visual assessment of the proposed changes, ensuring that you are comfortable with the adjustments before the final veneers are fabricated. It also provides an opportunity for any necessary modifications, such as size, shape, and color based on your feedback.
If you choose no-prep veneers, like Lumineers, instead of traditional veneers, we do not need to remove any enamel as this option is even thinner. The durability remains, however, and they can last decades if cared for properly.
Bonding Veneers to Your Teeth
When you return for your second appointment inside our Grand Rapids, MI, dental office, your custom porcelain veneers will be ready. First, our dentists will make sure that the veneers are the perfect color and fit. Don’t be alarmed if we need to make slight adjustments. Slightly altering the color or fit will ensure that your look and feel natural.
Once our dentists are satisfied with how everything fits and looks, we’ll prepare your teeth for the bonding process. The receiving teeth will be cleaned, polished, and etched so they’ll create a strong bond with your teeth. Our dentists will then use a special type of dental cement to attach the veneers to the fronts of your teeth.
After removing any excess cement, our dentists will check your bite to make sure it’s in proper alignment. Once your smile has been checked, we will be able to send you home with your new smile.
Caring For Your Veneers
Fortunately, there isn’t much special care for veneers beyond regular brushing, flossing, and professional teeth cleanings. They’re permanently bonded to your natural teeth so there’s no need to remove them for cleaning like with dentures. Veneers are also resistant to staining, but maintaining a clean mouth helps protect the natural teeth and gums that support them.
It is important that you eliminate certain behaviors or habits that can put unwanted stress on your veneers. This includes biting your nails or utensils, chewing on straws or ice, and using your teeth as tools to open packages. With proper attention, your porcelain veneers can maintain their stunning appearance and functionality for years and years.
Schedule a Veneers Consultation
Our cosmetic dentists in Grand Rapids, MI, are dedicated to helping you achieve your best smile with veneers and other cosmetic dentistry procedures. Torequest an appointment, call Precision Family Dental today at (616) 207-1280.
This blog post has been updated.