Porcelain Veneers

What Is a Porcelain Veneer?

Also referred to as porcelain teeth, veneers are a cosmetic solution. Made with thin layers of dental porcelain, they mimic your natural tooth enamel and are cemented to the surface of your teeth. As a result, veneers can fix the spacing, shape, size, color or alignment of your teeth.

• Shape and Size — When your teeth are shortened, chipped or have other shape issues, you may experience embarrassment. In particular, you might feel self-conscious about smiling at a family gathering, job interview or milestone event. Porcelain dental veneers, however, can prevent others from seeing these defects by securely and comfortably covering them. The result is an overall better shape or longer teeth depending on your needs.
• Color — You likely know that coffee, tobacco and tea products can make your teeth dingy, discolored or yellow over time. However, you might not know that aging and certain medications can do that too. If you’ve tried to restore the color with teeth whitening but failed, veneers are guaranteed to work.
• Alignment and Spacing — You could feel uncomfortable about smiling when you have slightly misaligned teeth or small gaps. With minor problems like these, braces aren’t always necessary to correct them. Instead, veneers can be created to adjust minor alignment and spacing issues.

Talk to our dentist in Haverford about how veneers can improve your smile.

Getting Porcelain Veneers: What’s the Process?

Prior to your veneers being applied, our dentist will take a mold of your teeth. The lab will make your veneers with it. We can start the porcelain veneers procedure when we receive them.

The dentist’s first step might be to file off some of the natural enamel on your teeth in order for the veneers to set correctly. In most cases, less than 1 millimeter is filed off, but it will depend on which veneer type and brand that you choose.

Then, the dentist will use a special resin cement to adhere the veneers onto the front of your teeth. The veneers won’t move after that, and they should appear and feel like your other teeth. Thankfully, the procedure is painless. Learn more by calling us.

How Are Veneers and Crowns Different?

Crowns and veneers are similar in that they improve the appearance of teeth, are made with the same materials and are permanently adhered to teeth. However, there are some differences too. A crown covers the entire tooth, while a veneer only covers the front. Porcelain crowns also require the dentist to remove more tooth enamel to fit. As a result, they’re better suited for teeth that need more structure to hold up under the pressure of chewing.

What’s the Difference With Lumineers®?

As a widely recognized brand of veneers, Lumineers® are slightly different from others. Mainly, they’re thinner, and dentists don’t have to file off as much enamel before applying them. However, they’re still very durable and long-lasting. Talk to our dentist for more information during your initial visit.

Are Veneers Expensive?

The porcelain veneers cost isn’t fixed, and dental insurance benefits don’t usually include such cosmetic treatments unless they’re deemed medically necessary. Because of that, paying for veneers will have to come completely out of your pocket. How much your porcelain veneers cost is will vary based on if you see a specialist, the brand and type you choose, and the cost of living near you. Get an accurate estimate from our dentist.

How Long Do Veneers Last?

You should be able to keep your porcelain veneers for 20 years or longer if they don’t sustain any damage. For instance, they can sustain damage when you use your teeth to open items, such as bags and bottles. You can maintain your smile, though, by avoiding those behaviors.

What’s the Routine for Caring for Veneers?

In general, you don’t have to do anything special to care for veneers porcelain. You do the same thing that you do for your natural teeth: brush twice a day and floss once a day. However, wearing a night guard can protect your veneers and other teeth if clenching or grinding led to you needing veneers. Also, be careful when you eat hard foods, especially if your front teeth have veneers.

Schedule a Consultation for Veneers in Haverford Now

Do you have more questions about getting porcelain veneers in Haverford? Our friendly staff is happy to answer any of your questions. Call us at (610) 572-1248 to set up an appointment.