Your Resource Information for Beverly Hills Porcelain Veneers

ain veneers are a hot trend in cosmetic dentistry right now because they can completely change the way a person’s mouth looks, and positively change the way a person views him or herself. A cosmetic dentist can make the decision whether porcelain veneers are right for each person, as it’s not something that should be taken lightly. While a cosmetic can totally change the way you look and feel with porcelain veneers, it is a serious procedure with permanent changes to tooth structure. Consulting with your cosmetic dentist will let you know if you are a candidate for such a procedure, or perhaps there are less invasive ways for you to be treated that will leave you happy and your smile healthy.

Porcelain veneers first became popular in the late 1980’s when cosmetic dentistry started to become a little bit more popular. Of course, these days most people know of someone who has porcelain veneers, but many people don’t know what it means to actually have them done. A porcelain veneer is something that only a qualified cosmetic dentist should do as it’s a procedure that actually requires you to lose most of your actual tooth. Then, a lab creates a veneer that fits over the small bit of tooth remaining to give you the appearance of beautiful and natural teeth. If created properly, porcelain veneers can look just like real teeth and they have little or no affect on the way a person eats, speaks, or lives.

A qualified cosmetic dentist is needed for the placement of porcelain veneers, as there is a lot that a dentist has to take into consideration when doing such a procedure. First, a cosmetic dentist must decide what is will be accomplished with the veneers and if there is any other way to go about achieving those results that is less invasive. Next, will the patient be capable of taking care of the teeth and the veneers for longevity. And lastly, whether the health of the patient and their teeth justifies such a drastic measure. Because the teeth are ground down considerably, both the cosmetic dentist and the patient must be sure that they want to go ahead with the procedure and keep the veneers for the remainder of the patient’s life.

How long porcelain veneers last is really dependent upon many things. The most important factor in the longevity of the veneers is how well the cosmetic dentist bonded the veneers to the actual tooth. Many dentists don’t have a proper bonding method and over time the veneers slip or fall off altogether. If a veneer is constantly slipping or falling off it’s very unlikely that they’ll last very long at all. Another factor that affects the life of porcelain veneers is any bite issues that the patient may have. If the patient has a severe over or under bite it may affect how long the veneer will hold up. Probably one of the most important factors that will affect how long veneers last is how well the patient takes care of his or her teeth. Teeth and gums that are not properly cared for don’t last as long, no matter what they are made of. Careful steps must be taken to preserve the porcelain veneers. Veneers can easily last as long as ten years before considering replacing them, if they are well cared for. For most people, one set of veneers won’t be enough in their lifetime, at least not with modern veneer capabilities.

Going to a cosmetic dentist to have porcelain veneers placed on your teeth is a big decision, but if you are going to a qualified dentist it will likely be a very positive experience. Your smile is a big part of who you are, and when you feel good about your smile you feel good about yourself and a cosmetic dentist can make it happen for you.

One thing’s for sure, you can’t take back is to teeth that you have. These teeth are the ones that you have forever, of course unless you let them fall out. If you’re not completely happy with your teeth because they don’t look great there are options you can consider.

In the field of cosmetic dentistry, one of the things that people turn to often is porcelain veneers. What are porcelain veneers? And how can they help me? Let’s take a look at what porcelain veneers are and what they can do for you.

Porcelain veneers stand as one of the best treatment options to whiten your discolored teeth, straighten your crooked or chipped teeth, enhance the size of your teeth, close the gaps in between your teeth, and basically improve the way that you exude your own smile.

And what is the veneer? A porcelain veneer is a very thin dental laminate that is bonded to the front of your teeth. Typically, your tooth is shaped a little bit smaller so that when the veneer is applied it fits exactly as your original teeth fit. They are designed to look natural but there are also designed to make sure that they enhance what was your current look to become more of a perfectly shaped tooth.

The process is designed to hide imperfections and remove gaps in spaces that may have been part of your previous smile. Even though the veneer is very thin and may be as thin as a contact lens, they are very strong. Made of porcelain or composite materials the veneer is designed to withstand normal wear and tear.

Because there is no major surgery, anesthesia is not typically needed in the process is pain-free. All it takes is generally two visits and you’re done. The first visit is the shaping, and the second is the application of the veneers.

You may have noticed that many celebrities have very straight, white teeth, and while, there are many with naturally beautiful teeth, you may also be surprised to find out that a great many of those stars actually have veneers.

Lastly, if you are considering getting any veneer work done, you are probably wondering about the strength of the veneers, and how they affect your eating. Veneers are extremely strong, and very durable. In general, you should experience almost no change in your eating habits except a little bit of awareness. It is recommended to be a bit careful with how you chew and bite hard foods. In circumstances like that, it may be best to cut the hard food into pieces, and when you can, chew with the back teeth.

Other than that, for many that have lived with a less than appealing smile, porcelain veneers could be for you. Make sure you consult with your dentist for more information.

Porcelain veneers are an excellent solution for people with discolored crooked, gapped, worn, or cracked teeth. In fact, in many ways porcelain veneers are the flagship cosmetic dental treatment because they can essentially give a person a whole new smile all at once. In addition, porcelain veneers can be a great protective treatment for your teeth.

Decay Resistant

Unlike tooth enamel, the ceramic laminate used to make porcelain veneers neither decays as a result of exposure to the acid byproducts of mouth-dwelling bacteria or stains as a result of exposure to melanoidins found in foods like coffee, black tea, chocolate, and red wine. This means that porcelain veneers can not only give you a great-looking smile, they can give you a smile that lasts. In addition, they can strengthen your teeth by providing an additional layer of support, almost like the layered composite armor used on modern main battle tanks. However, the teeth behind the veneers are still susceptible to decay, and there are some special considerations you should keep in mind about cavities in veneered teeth.

Behind the Veneer

The veneer itself is made of pressed laminate ceramic, which is very strong, and the veneer is attached to the tooth by means of a plastic compound sometimes called cement. Before the veneers are placed or crafted, the teeth are prepared to receive them through the removal of dental enamel. The amount of enamel removed varies, both according to the preferences and the technique of the dentist doing the preparation, and it is unlikely to be completely uniform. Normally, the amount removed is between 0.3 and 0.5 mm, often leaving little to no enamel on the prepared surface. Fortunately, the prepared surface is protected by the veneer.

Possible Dangers

Cavities can still attack veneered teeth. If veneers are placed by an inexperienced or unskilled dentist, there may be ledges, shelves, or other harborages around the edges of the veneers where food can accumulate and bacteria hide from cleanings. In these locations, plaque can build up, and the acid produced by the bacteria can lead to decay around the edges of the veneers. If undetected, these edge cavities can grow and allow bacteria access to the tooth pulp, necessitating a root canal and capping the tooth with a dental crown.

People often think porcelain veneers are likely to chip, but in fact it is much more likely that the compound bonding the veneer to the tooth will fail and the veneer come loose. This becomes more likely if a person consumes a great deal of alcohol, which dissolves some bonding compounds. Worse than an actual separation of the veneer is if some of the bond gets dissolved and creates a void behind the veneer which can again serve as a harborage for bacteria, leading to concealed decay that attacks the tooth and may not be detected until pain begins.

Prevention Better than Cure

As with all dental treatment, prevention is the best approach. With proper care, you can protect your veneered teeth from any of the negative effects we’ve discussed above. First, make sure you have chosen a talented and well-trained cosmetic dentist who uses the highest-quality restorations. Veneers that are properly shaped and placed can remove the possibility of harborages around the veneers. Brush and floss your teeth according to your dentist’s instructions. Make all your semi-annual cleaning and follow-up appointments to catch any decay before it progresses to the level of a serious threat. Limit alcohol consumption and clean your teeth immediately after vomiting to reduce the dissolution of the dental bonding material.

If you do all this, your veneers will last a decade or more protecting your teeth and keeping them stain-free.

Porcelain veneers are very thin shells of ceramic material that are permanently bonded to the front surface of your teeth. Each veneer is fully customized for you and color-matched to blend in with your surrounding teeth.

Porcelain veneers are versatile and can address many different cosmetic dental issues such as:

Chipped and/or broken teeth Crooked or unevenly worn teeth Crowded teeth Stains due to injury, root canals or antibiotics Discolored fillings

How the Veneer Process Works

Applying porcelain veneers takes about a month from start to finish and typically involves three appointments with your cosmetic dentist.

Appointment #1 – You have an initial consultation with the cosmetic dentist to discuss your current dental issues, your desired end results and the dentist’s opinion for the best solution to achieve your ideal smile.

Some of the determining factors in deciding if you are a candidate for veneers are:

Do you have healthy teeth? Do you have any active decay or gum disease? Do you have adequate enamel? Do you clench or grind your teeth? Do you have severely misaligned teeth or an unstable bite?

If you decide together that porcelain veneers are the best option, you can then schedule the rest of your visits.

Appointment #2 – During your second appointment, the teeth requiring veneers will be slightly shaved down to accommodate the thickness of the veneers and then a mold, or impression, will be taken of your teeth. Your cosmetic dentist will send the impression to a dental lab, which will then fabricate the veneers. It takes the lab approximately two weeks to make the veneers and send them back to your cosmetic dentist.  You will wear temporary veneers while your final ones are being prepared.  The quality of temporary veneers varies widely from dentist to dentist, and this is one important factor to consider when selecting your cosmetic dentist.

Appointment #3 – This is the most exciting appointment because you’ll leave with a dazzling and beautiful new smile. In this appointment, the veneers will be temporarily placed on your teeth, and adjusted until both you and your cosmetic dentist are happy with them. Then they’ll be permanently cemented to your teeth, and actually becoming a part of those teeth.

How will the completed porcelain veneers look?

Placed correctly, porcelain veneers look virtually identical to your natural teeth. The porcelain has slight variations in color just as regular teeth do and while porcelain veneers are as durable as natural teeth, they are not impervious to damage. Anything that will break a real tooth can break a veneer.

Only a qualified cosmetic dentist can design and place veneers that will blend in almost perfectly with the rest of your natural teeth.