What are Porcelain Veneers?

Porcelain veneers are thin, semi-translucent laminate permanently bonded to your teeth. While they are not suitable for every patient, porcelain veneers are the most aesthetic alternative for a variety of dental conditions involving the front teeth, including:

• Diastemas (spaces between teeth)
• Broken or chipped teeth
• Unsightly, stained or washed out fillings
• Permanently stained or discoloured teeth that can't be bleached

Advantages and Benefits of Dental Veneers

There are many benefits and advantages to having porcelain veneers placed on your front teeth:

• The procedure of placing cosmetic veneers takes only two appointments
• A conservative amount of tooth structure is removed during the porcelain veneer procedure
• Porcelain veneers are the most biocompatible material you can use next to the gingiva (part of the gum tissue that immediately surrounds the teeth and alveolar bone)
• A healthy "natural" look is achieved; in fact, porcelain veneers are the most aesthetic restoration in dentistry

How are Cosmetic Veneers different from Bonding or Dental Crowns?

Bonding is a resin filling material that was used for several years to cover the front surface of teeth. Today, we generally use bonding only to fill in small surfaces or cavities and repair chips in teeth. A full dental crown is when a tooth has had a root canal treatment, or when a substantial amount of the entire tooth structure (enamel) has been lost. Cosmetic veneers can be placed on teeth to make your smile look natural and beautiful.

How are Porcelain Veneers prepared and placed?

At the first appointment with Dr. Williams, the teeth are prepared for the dental veneers and an impression is taken. This impression is then sent to a lab where each porcelain veneers is custom made to Dr. Williams's specifications. Beautiful temporaries (temporal dental veneers) are fabricated to simulate your new smile so you can expect to leave the first appointment looking better than when you came in. At the second appointment the new porcelain veneers are permanently adhered to the natural teeth.

What to expect with Dental Veneers

Dental veneers can last indefinitely, depending how well they are taken care off by the patient. Because porcelain veneers are stronger than simple bonding, they are also more resistant to stains and chipping. Even so, you must maintain regular oral hygiene at home, and visit us for routine cleanings and exams. This is to ensure that your new cosmetic veneers will looks as good as new. Another important point is that oral habits that damage natural teeth such as nail biting, opening bobby pins, and chewing on hard objects can also damage your new dental veneers. Once porcelain veneers are applied, just treat them like natural teeth. They look great and are extremely durable.

Dr. Linda Williams has extensive experience with placing cosmetic veneers. We invite you to come to the Ryedale Dental Healthcare Clinic and Implant Centre Ltd to learn more about dental veneers and find out if porcelain veneers are right for you.