Porcelain Veneers: Everything You Need To Know
Posted on: 6 June 2016
A beautiful smile is an investment. The truth is that a smile is one of the first things people notice about you. If your smile seems less than perfect, you can hesitate to actually expose your teeth. Don't hesitate. Instead, consider fixing the minor problems in your teeth with porcelain veneers.
Fixable Problems
Porcelain veneers can solve a variety of problems. One of the most common uses for getting veneers is that teeth are discolored due to age, smoking, medication or consumption of certain foods. However, veneers can help solve minor structural problems as well, such as chips or cracks. A cosmetic dentist can also use porcelain veneers to minimize the gaps between teeth or if they're slightly out of alignment.
Procedure for Getting Veneers
Getting porcelain veneers is a three-step procedure. The first step is visiting a cosmetic dentist to discover if you're a good candidate for veneers. This can include X-rays and dental impressions. In the second appointment, dentists prepare your teeth by removing a very small amount of enamel, about the thickness of the veneer itself. The dentist then makes a model of your teeth to send to a dental laboratory to make the veneers themselves. Your dentist will probably give you temporary veneers to wear for a couple weeks.
During the third visit, the dentist cements the veneers to your teeth. This involves cleaning each tooth in preparation. They're also polished and etched to make a rough surface for the adhesion. The dentist may need to adjust each veneer for size or color. The veneers are adhered to the teeth with a resin bond. After application, your dentist may need to remove any excess. You can expect a follow-up visit in about a week or two.
Endurance of Porcelain Veneers
How long your veneers last depends a lot on how you care for them. According to Web MD, porcelain veneers should last at least five years. This is with no real change in habits on your part. However, if you treat your teeth with care, your veneers can last up to 10 years or more.
Caring for Porcelain Veneers
The key to prolonging the life of your porcelain veneers is altering some of your habits. For example, dark drinks such as coffee and red wine can stain the veneers as easily as they did your natural teeth. So, too, can artificially-colored drinks and even berries. You don't have to omit these from your diet, but brush right after consuming them. Likewise, biting directly into a hard food, such as a carrot, can crack the veneers. Finally, use toothpaste and mouthwash with concentrated fluoride to help strengthen the underlying teeth.
Visit http://www.larsen-haslemdental.com to learn more.
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