Dental veneers are a common kind of cosmetic dentistry. These
thin shells of fired porcelain are placed on the teeth and bonded
to them in order to change the look of the tooth. They can change
the length, width, color, and shape. Porcelain veneers are strong
and versatile enough to use for many applications, including chipped
tooth repair, adding a white look to teeth that cannot be bleached,
or evening up the look of your teeth. Veneers are permanent and
resist chipping and staining. This means your new smile will last
and last.
Dental veneering starts with a thorough exam, and then a consultation
with the cosmetic dentist. You may be asked questions about the
kind of smile you want, shown photos of many options, and even
helped to use computer adjustment to show you what your teeth would
look like with specific veneer options. The dentist then takes
an impression of your teeth which will be sent to the lab that
makes the veneers. The dentist will accompany this impression with
specific instructions that guarantee your being able to get the
smile you want. The lab will create a wax model of the way the
veneered teeth will look, then send it back for approval. Once
you've seen the wax model and approved it, the lab will create
the new porcelain veneers that will change the way your smile looks.
When you get veneers, your teeth must be prepared, or roughened,
and then you will be fitted with temporary veneers. These won't
match the finished product, but are there to protect your teeth
until your real veneers are ready. After the porcelain veneers
come in, the temporaries will be taken off and the new teeth put
on. The bond is very strong, so you don't have to worry about them
coming off.
Some dentists use advanced technology to help them install veneers.
This includes a small pen like camera that projects an image of
your teeth on a screen, digital imaging of your new smile, laser
recontouring of soft tissue to improve the shape of your teeth,
and computer controlled anesthesia. All of these devices improve
the accuracy of cosmetic dentistry, making it a comfortable and
easy process.
Patients who get dental veneering may find that their gums are
tender for a few days. This can be combated with over the counter
painkillers, or drugs the dentist prescribes. After a week or two,
you may need to have your veneers adjusted to provide a better
fit. Whether this is necessary varies by dentist and the procedure
performed. There are no real complications associated with veneers,
although people who grind their teeth in the night may need to
wear a night guard to prevent chipping or breaking their new teeth.
If you want to have veneers, check with your dentist to see if
you are a candidate for this kind of cosmetic dentistry. Costs
generally run about $800 to $1500. They are, however, frequently
not covered by insurance. People wanting to get veneers will generally
have to pay out of pocket.