subject: Dental Veneers Help Mask Dental Blemishes For A Hollywood Smile [print this page] If you are looking to change the shape, color, and size of your teeth for a more appealing smile, dental veneers may be just what you are looking for. Veneers are an increasingly popular cosmetic dental procedure that creates a brighter, whiter smile that you have always wanted. Dental veneers can also give you a perfectly aligned smile that has translucent qualities of ceramic materials to provide a completely natural, redefined look for your teeth. Today, you can achieve a more natural look than what has previously been available with veneers
Dental Veneers - Understanding the Basics
Veneers are thin, custom-made shells crafted of tooth-colored materials that are designed to cover the front side of your teeth for an improved appearance. These shells are bonded to the front of your teeth in order to change their color, shape, size, or length. Dental veneers can be made from porcelain or from resin composite materials. Porcelain veneers resist stains better than resin veneers and better mimic the light reflecting properties of natural teeth. Additionally, resin veneers are thinner and require removal of less of the tooth surface before placement.
The types of problems that veneers typically fix, include:
*Teeth that are discolored
*Worn down teeth
*Chipped or broken teeth
*Misaligned, uneven, or irregularly shaped teeth
*Teeth with gaps
The Veneer Procedure
Your dental veneer procedure typically will require three trips to your dentist in San Jose, CA - consultation, and two subsequent visits to make and apply the veneers. To place the veneer, one tooth or many teeth, can simultaneously undergo the veneer process. The first step in your dental veneer procedure process involves active participation between you and your Sacramento dentist. At your initial consultation, your dentist will examine your teeth to make sure dental veneers are appropriate for you and discuss what the procedure will involve, including some of its limitations. Your dentist may also take x-rays and impressions of your mouth and teeth.
To prepare a tooth for the veneer, your dentist will remove approximately half a millimeter of enamel from the tooth surface, which is an amount nearly equal to the thickness of the veneer to be added to the tooth surface. Before trimming off the enamel, you and your dentist will decide the need for a local anesthetic to numb the area. Next, your dentist will make a model or impression of your tooth, which is then sent to a dental laboratory for fabrication. It will typically take about one to two weeks for your dentist to receive the veneers fro the dental laboratory.
At your final visit, your dental veneers will be bonded to your tooth. First, your dentist will temporarily place the veneer on your tooth to examine its fit and color. The veneer will be removed and trimmed as needed to achieve the proper fit. To prepare your tooth for the veneer, your tooth will be cleaned, polished, and etched, which roughens the tooth to allow for a strong bonding process. Special cement will be applied to the veneer and the veneer is then placed on your tooth.
Once properly positioned on the tooth, your dentist will apply a special light beam to the dental veneer, which activates the chemicals in the cement causing it to harden or cure very quickly. The final steps involve removing any excess cement, evaluating your bite and making any final adjustments in the veneer as necessary.
If you are not satisfied with the appearance of your smile, contact your San Jose cosmetic dentist for more information about how veneers work and to see if you are a candidate.
