The 101 on Dental Veneers

The 101 on Dental Veneers

For the most part, proper dental hygiene is enough to keep our teeth healthy, strong, and looking their best. However, for some, this may not be enough to give us the pearly whites we dream of.

This is where veneers come in! If you’ve been considering getting this non-invasive procedure to improve your smile, read on to learn about dental veneers.

What are dental veneers?

What are dental veneers

Veneers are cosmetic dental procedures that enhance the look of your teeth by adhering custom-made thin tooth-colored “shells” to the surface of your teeth.

It’s important to keep in mind that the bonding procedure is permanent. Hence, dental veneers are often used by those with severe dental defects or damage as well as older individuals.

1. Porcelain Veneers

As the most popular choice among the two, porcelain veneers are sought after because of their immediate benefits. Namely, they don’t stain or require much maintenance.

They almost look like real teeth! Aside from matching the shade of your teeth, they reflect light, too, so they look nearly identical to your real teeth.

Despite giving you a killer smile, they will do quite the damage to your wallet. But with the right care, these pearly whites will last you up to 20 years.

2. Composite Resin Veneers

As the more affordable alternative, composite resin veneers are made of materials often used for teeth fillings. Hence, they aren’t as durable and have a shorter life span.

In comparison to porcelain veneers, this requires less enamel removal since they’re made of thinner material. Hence, they’re also a faster option since you can get a full set of veneers made and placed in a visit.

The Dental Veneers Process

The Dental Veneers Process

Preparation

Before anything else, your dentist will have to prepare your teeth by dealing with any restorative dental work and shaping your teeth by removing some enamel.

For porcelain veneers, an impression will be made for a custom-made set of veneers. While waiting for them, you’ll be given a temporary set.

Keep in mind that the process of making veneers can last from two to four weeks. However for composite resin veneers, it isn’t uncommon for dentists to make these in-house, so you won’t have to wait too long.

The shaping requires your dentist to shave enamel off the front and sides of your teeth. This won’t be painful, but you may feel sore for a few days.

Hence, you may want to take a few days off of work to just relax at home. You may also experience a bit of trouble eating, too, so you may want to opt for smoothies, soups, or food that can be eaten with ease.

Installation Process

For composite resin veneers, dentists will make the resin mixture in-house. Hence, your dentist will be able to install them after the enamel shaving.

Here, your dentist will paint the resin onto your teeth. Adjustments will be made throughout to ensure that they’re the right size, fit, and look.

As for porcelain veneers, you’ll have to wait a few weeks until the custom-made set is ready. Once everything’s been checked, they’ll use bonding material to gently adhere each new “shell” onto your existing teeth.


That ends our brief introduction to dental veneers! We hope this article presented helpful insights.

Say, if you’re on the hunt for other cosmetic procedures and treatments, you may want to check these out: