Dental Veneers Weymouth MA
Porcelain dental veneers are sometimes incorrectly described as “false teeth.” In reality, a dental veneer is a very thin shell that your dentist attaches to teeth that require some cosmetic improvement. Your natural tooth is still there, but it is covered up with a material that improves its appearance.
Dental veneers can be made from either composite resin or porcelain. The composite type is applied as a putty-like material that hardens and is shaped by the dentist. While composite is less expensive than porcelain, it is more easily damaged and stained.
What Are Dental Veneers?
Porcelain veneers are a type of dental veneer made from a porcelain material that is highly durable.
Advantages of dental veneers are:
- Strong and durable
- Most closely matches the color of natural teeth
- Mimics the translucence of natural teeth
Disadvantages of dental veneers are:
- Typically requires multiple appointments
- Requires some removal of tooth structure
- More expensive than composite
Will They Look Like Normal Teeth?
Porcelain dental veneers closely resemble the appearance of normal teeth, down to their reflectivity, or translucence. Porcelain is also superior to composite, and even natural tooth enamel, in one important way: It is highly stain resistant. This makes it a perfect solution for patients requiring both structural repair (such as for minor chips or cracks) and teeth whitening.
How Durable Are Porcelain Dental Veneers?
One key advantage of porcelain veneers is their durability. Normally, they can be expected to last for an average of 10 to 15 years. However, many patients find that their porcelain veneers last up to two decades when cared for correctly. Other types of dental veneers cannot match this level of longevity.
What To Expect
Receiving porcelain dental veneers normally involves two appointments. At the first, your dentist will be removing a small amount of enamel from the teeth receiving veneers. This allows room for your new porcelain veneers.
Next, your dentist will form impressions of your teeth, which will be sent to the dental laboratory that will be creating your porcelain veneers. While you are waiting to receive your permanent veneers, your dentist will place temporary covers over your teeth to protect them. It can take between two to four weeks for your porcelain veneers to be ready.
When your porcelain veneers have returned from the lab, you will return for a second appointment when your dentist will replace your temporary veneers with permanent ones. Before placement, they will carefully ensure that the shape, size, and color of your new veneers are correct, so that they blend in with the rest of your smile.
Next, your dentist will be cleaning, polishing, and etching the surfaces of treated teeth. This roughens them somewhat so that they bond more strongly with your new porcelain veneers.
The final step is when your dentist cements your permanent porcelain veneers into place. They will then remove all excess dental cement and check your bite to make sure that your porcelain veneers are resting properly against your teeth.