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Veneers are extremely thin, custom-made shells that are placed on the front surface of your teeth. They are able to change the shape, size and color of teeth.
One of the main reasons veneers are so popular is that they offer immediate results. And getting veneers is a pretty easy, straightforward procedure. It’s not nearly as complex or involved as getting implants. And veneers are pretty flexible and can fix a variety of dental issues.
Veneers are most commonly used to fix dental issues such as:
- Discoloration (whether due to extrinsic or intrinsic tooth stains)
- Gaps between teeth
- Teeth that have a slight misalignment
- Chipped teeth
- Cracked teeth
When Veneers Are Not The Best Choice
If your teeth and gums aren’t in good condition, veneers may not be a good option. In fact, if you suffer from tooth decay or gum disease, your dentist will likely need to treat that first before you are able to get veneers. Veneers also aren’t ideal for people who tend to clench or grind their teeth.
Materials Used To Make Veneers
Dental veneers are usually made out of porcelain or from resin composite materials. Then a adhesive is used to bond them to the front of your teeth. Thanks to advances in technology, the materials now used to make veneers result in a very realistic look. And the porcelain commonly used is able to provide strength and resilience for teeth.
The Veneer Procedure
To get veneers, you can figure on about 3 visits to your cosmetic dentist. However, advanced technology for digital imaging systems is changing that a bit. Dentists are now able to offer same-day veneers. These same-day veneers will almost perfectly match the color of your teeth and their natural shape.
To prepare your mouth for veneers, your dentist will lightly buff your teeth. This removes a very thin layer (around half a millimeter) to allow for the thickness of the veneers. A local anesthetic sometimes is used during this buffing procedure.
For composite resin veneers, the dentist will bond and sculpt the material onto your teeth. This procedure can typically be done in one appointment.
In the case of ceramic veneers, the dentist will take a mold of your teeth. That mold is sent to a lab that creates the veneers. It can take a couple days or a couple of weeks for the lab to make your veneers and send them to your dentists. If you have a situation where you can’t wait that long, your dentist can give you temporary veneers.
When the ceramic veneers are ready the dentist will put each veneer over your teeth. This give you and the dentist a chance to see how the veneers fit and how good a match they are color-wise. If the color is not a great match, that can often be adjusted by the shade of the cement used.
Once you and dentist are happy with how everything looks, the dentist will clean, polish and etch your tooth to roughen the surface. This allows for a stronger bond.
The dentist then applies a special cement between the tooth and the veneer. A light beam is then used to activate the chemicals in the cement to harden it very quickly.
Finally, your dentist will remove any excess cement, evaluate your bite and make any last adjustments your veneer(s) requires. The dentist may want you to follow up in a few weeks to make sure all looks good and your mouth is healthy.
Cost of Veneers
Veneers typically cost between $500 – $1200 per tooth depending on where in the country you live and the specific procedure/veneer material used. For more detailed information about veneer costs, see this article.
