Veneers are a versatile way to improve the overall appearance of your teeth and can be made from porcelain or composite resin. Porcelain veneers are more resistant to staining and will last slightly longer than composite resin veneers, but composite veneers may require less tooth preparation prior to fitting and are easier to repair. Dental veneers consist of wafer thin pieces of tooth coloured materials that fit exactly over the front surfaces of teeth and which are bonded onto the teeth. They can be useful for correcting a number of different problems which include:
- Lightening the colour of teeth and making the colour uniform across the smile
- Hiding chips or cracks in teeth
- Lengthening teeth that are worn down or too short
- Closing up or minimising spaces in between teeth
- Improving the appearance of teeth that are slightly misshapen or rotated
- Correcting teeth that are slightly out of alignment
- Hiding the colour of badly stained teeth which do not respond to tooth whitening
What Is the Procedure for Having a Porcelain Dental Veneer?
Your first step should be to book a consultation at Enfield Dental Practice to discuss this treatment with our experienced dentist. Veneers work best on healthy teeth that don’t have any large fillings or signs of disease.
The next step is to prepare your teeth for your veneers, which is usually done through removing a tiny amount of tooth enamel from the front of the tooth. This is necessary to create enough room for the veneer so it doesn’t look too bulky or unnatural. Once your teeth are prepared we will take an impression that is sent to the dental laboratory. Your veneers will be custom designed and fabricated to our exact specifications. The final step is to have your veneers fitted and adjusted if necessary and bonded in place. The final shade of your veneers can be adjusted through using different colour dental cements.
Veneers are often combined with teeth whitening as this enables patients to lift the overall colour of their teeth before veneering any that will not respond to whitening or which will benefit from being covered up. If you intend to use both these treatments then we will whiten your teeth first so the colour of your veneers can be accurately matched to the shade of your newly whitened teeth.
Your veneers should last a number of years before they need replacing. Good professional dental care combined with good oral care at home can help prolong their life.
What is the Procedure for Having a Composite Veneer?
Composite veneers often don’t require that any tooth be ground down and usually don’t require an injection. Initially the teeth are cleaned thoroughly, then etched with a special chemical. An adhesive is applied then the veneers are gradually built up in layers using different colours of resin. Each layer is set with a special light. Finally the veneer is shaped and polished. The whole procedure is completed in a single appointment.