subject: Are Porcelain Veneers Painful to Get Attached? [print this page] Are Porcelain Veneers Painful to Get Attached?
Porcelain veneers are thin shells of porcelain that are bonded to the front surface of your tooth. These restorations can straighten, reshape, and whiten your smile in just a few dentist visits. Porcelain veneers can also close unattractive gaps in your smile and fix teeth that are cracked, chipped or appear worn.
The Veneers Procedure
Your veneers dentist will start by preparing your teeth for the porcelain veneers. This process involves slightly shaving down your natural tooth so that the veneer can be securely placed on top. An impression of your prepared teeth will be taken, and sent to a dental laboratory, where a ceramist will create your customized dental veneers. The thin porcelain shell will match the precise size, shape, color and luster of your natural teeth. You will be given temporary veneers to wear until your permanent ones are ready.
At your second visit, the thin porcelain veneers will be placed over the front surface of your teeth. A composite resin will be applied to firmly attach the porcelain to your tooth enamel. Your porcelain veneers dentist will then harden the bonding material with a special light or laser. On its own, porcelain is a brittle material. However, once it is firmly bonded to your natural tooth, it becomes extremely strong and durable.
Is the Process Painful?
There has been some recent media coverage about the porcelain veneers process and the potential for pain. However, if placed correctly, porcelain veneers should not cause any pain. The first part of the procedure, when your teeth are shaved down, may sound painful, but only your tooth enamel (not your root or nerve) is affected so it should not hurt. During the procedure your porcelain veneers dentist will give you some type of anesthesia to ensure you feel nothing. Shortly after the first part of your procedure, patients will receive a non-steroid anti-inflammatory (NSAID) such as Advil, which is all you should need to alleviate any discomfort.
The second step of the veneers process, which involves the cementation of veneers, should not be painful either. You will be given an anesthesia because your temporary veneers will be removed and your teeth may be sensitive. During the bonding of your veneers to your teeth you will experience some pressure, but you should not feel pain. You may be given another NSAID to make sure of this.
