WHAT ARE VENEERS?
Cosmetic restorations can give your smile a stunning makeover with veneers or composite bonding, tailored to your unique needs. Veneers are thin, custom-made porcelain shells that cover teeth to fix discoloration, chips, gaps, fractures, or size issues, typically lasting many years with proper care, and Dr. Leftwich and Dr. Hornberger bring their expertise in esthetics to create a natural, beautiful result. Composite bonding uses a tooth-colored material to reshape or repair teeth, offering a more affordableand conservative alternative for similar concerns, making it a versatile option to enhance your confidence and appearance with a smile you’ll love.
THE PROCESS
Typically, veneers entail at least three appointments: diagnosis and treatment planning, preparation, and bonding.
During the tooth preparation visit, usually lasting one to two hours, the teeth are lightly buffed to allow for the small added thickness of the veneer. Usually, about a half a millimeter of the tooth is removed, which may require a local anesthetic. During the same visit, a mold is taken of the teeth, and sent to the laboratory for the fabrication of the veneers.
During the final “bonding” visit, also about one or two hours, the veneers are placed on the tooth surface with water or glycerine on the teeth to check their fit and get a sense of the shade or color. While the veneers are resting on your teeth, they can be adjusted with various shades of cement to match the color of your teeth. To apply the veneer, the tooth is cleansed with specific chemicals to achieve a bond. Once a special cement is sandwiched between the veneer and tooth, a visible light beam, or laser, causes a catalyst to be released, hardening the cement.
During a two-week period of adjustment that follows, you may notice the change of size and shape in your teeth. It is important to brush and floss daily. After one or two weeks, you’ll return for a follow-up appointment. Porcelain veneers are reasonable facsimiles of natural teeth, not perfect replacements. It’s not uncommon to see slight variations in the color of porcelain veneers upon close inspection, as this occurs even in natural teeth.
For certain patients no preparation of the teeth may be necessary.
SCHEDULE AN EXAM
Think you’d be a good candidate for veneers? Schedule an exam at our Lakewood-neighborhood office by calling (214) 324-0233 or scheduling an exam online!
