Your smile is one of the first aspects of your appearance someone notices.  If you are always smiling and confident, people are generally drawn to you and want to know what drives your positive attitude and self-confidence.  The same is true if you are always hesitant to smile but the effects are generally not as positive. If you are finding yourself smiling less because of stains or discolorations on your front teeth, then porcelain veneers may be the right option to enhance your smile.

Understanding the Process

Dental veneers can be used to correct the issue. Dental veneers are tooth-colored material that gets bonded to teeth. First, the dentist needs to identify if the patient is a good candidate for veneers based on their occlusion and alignment. In some cases, the patient is referred to an orthodontist to evaluate the occlusion and spacing of the teeth. Second, the dentist will prepare the tooth structure by removing about .5 mm of the enamel. In some cases, the patient does not need to be anesthetized. The dentist will place temporary veneers on the patient and sends the impression of the teeth to the lab on the same appointment. The lab usually takes between 1 to 2 weeks to prepare the veneers. At the next appointment, the dentist will remove the temporary veneers and replace them with the fabricated veneers by the lab.

How Porcelain Veneers Work

Porcelain veneers refer to light layers of tooth-colored dental restorative material that are custom-made to fit over the outer surface of worn down, stained, chipped, uneven, misaligned, or abnormally spaced teeth to provide an attractive, natural-looking smile. Dental veneers are bonded to the front of your teeth to provide a basis for the alteration of their shape, size, color, or length. Dental veneers are typically created using porcelain or resin composite components. The former is usually the material of choice because it offers superior stain resistance compared to resin composite, plus it shares the light-reflecting qualities of regular teeth, giving you a more natural look.

To find out if porcelain veneers are right for you, schedule your consultation with your dentist in Bellflower, CA today!