What are Dental Veneers?

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If you want to improve your smile, dental veneers are a simple option. Veneers are thin coverings that are placed over the tooth. They look and feel just like natural teeth. 

Veneers can be used to correct a wide range of dental issues, such as:

• teeth that are stained and can’t be whitened by bleaching
• chipped or worn teeth
• crooked or misshapen teeth
• uneven spaces or a large gap between the upper front teeth

Veneers are made of either a Hard Porcelain (called Zirconia) or composite resin material. 

A Porcelain (Zirconia) Veneer is a thin shell that is custom-made to fit on the tooth.

Benefits of porcelain veneers:

• they are strong and long-lasting
• they have a natural-looking surface
• less tooth enamel needs to be removed than with a metal crown or cap
• they don’t stain

Steps to place porcelain veneers:

• To prepare the teeth, the dentist usually removes a small amount of enamel from the front and sides of the teeth. This makes room for the veneers so that your teeth look natural.
• The dentist makes an impression, or mold, of the prepared teeth. The dentist also decides on the veneer shade that will be best for your smile.
• The impression is sent to a dental lab that custom-makes the porcelain veneers to fit your teeth. This may take several days. The dentist may give you temporary veneers to wear in the meantime.
• At the next visit, the dentist places the veneers on the teeth to check the fit and shape. After any adjustments, the teeth are cleaned and the veneers are bonded to the tooth.
• Further changes may be made at a later appointment.

A composite resin veneer is made from a tooth-colored filling material bonded to the tooth.  Here at Bellwether Dental we do not recommend Composite Veneers due to poor durability and ease of staining/yellowing after just a short amount of time.

• It may take you a few days to get used to the feel of your veneers. But do let your dentist know if your bite does not feel right after the veneer has been placed. He or she will correct it before you leave the office.
• Keep your teeth and gums clean by brushing and flossing each day. You can still get cavities under or around veneers.