If you’ve been dreaming about getting pretty pearly whites, dental veneers may be the ideal solution.
Porcelain veneers have become a popular cosmetic procedure because they offer outstanding aesthetic outcomes and long-term predictability for teeth in the smile zone.
While veneers can dramatically improve your smile appearance, creation and placement require advanced cosmetic dentistry skills and experience to achieve beautiful, long-lasting results.
Dr. David Sabourin has more than 35 years of cosmetic dentistry expertise helping patients restore natural-looking smile beauty with top-quality veneers.
In this article, we will explain what Veneers are and help you determine if they are the best choice for your smile.
Table of Contents
What are Veneers?
Since their introduction in the 1930s, the materials used in dental veneers have evolved remarkably. Early materials had to be quite thick to cover any discoloration and were difficult to polish, which caused abrasion of the opposing dentition and staining.
In contrast, modern dental veneers are thin, custom-made ceramic laminated shells that fit over the front surface of anterior (front) teeth. They blend in seamlessly with other teeth without altering your bite. Light passes through and reflects from teeth restored with porcelain veneers in nearly the same way as unrestored natural teeth.
Types of Dental Veneers
Porcelain veneers: This material offers superb translucency and natural-looking aesthetics. Custom-made porcelain veneers measure about 0.5mm in thickness, so a small amount of enamel needs to be removed to ensure they fit seamlessly over your natural teeth and in line with your gums and adjacent teeth. Light-sensitive resin is placed between the original tooth and the veneer and then hardened using a special curing light.
Composite veneers: This less expensive veneer is made from tooth-colored composite resin. This material is also used to create temporary veneers that you wear until the permanent ones come back from the dental lab. Composite veneers are considered a good alternative permanent option but offer less durability than porcelain.
No-prep veneers: Fabricated from durable dental ceramics such as porcelain or zirconia, minimal- or no-prep veneers require less preparation than traditional porcelain veneers because they’re just 0.3mm (about the thickness of a contact lens). The ultra-slim design enables seamless application over natural teeth, often without the removal of any tooth enamel.
When are Veneers the Right Choice?
The primary goal of dental veneers is to restore the cosmetic appearance of teeth. Many people are unhappy with their teeth due to obvious discoloration. This can be caused by medications (e.g., tetracycline), certain foods and beverages, tobacco use, or simply the effects of aging.
In addition to discoloration, veneers can conceal:
- Minor gaps or malposition
- Small chips or cracks
- Uneven teeth
- Slightly crooked or misshapen teeth
- Teeth with rough or worn-down enamel
Veneers are the right choice when you have good oral health but are looking for a cosmetic smile makeover and you have one or a few of the issues above.
Additional Important Considerations
The most frequently encountered issues with porcelain veneers are a failure to meet patients’ aesthetic goals, fracture or loss of the restoration, and gum irritation/infection following placement.
Porcelain veneers are not a suitable restoration for all front teeth. These are some of the issues that contradict getting dental veneers:
- Untreated periodontal disease
- Inadequate tooth enamel
- Severely rotated teeth (this greatly increases the risk of fracture)
- Habits such as bruxism (tooth clenching/grinding places high stress on restored teeth)
- Large existing restorations because veneers can’t conceal them
Factors to Consider Before Getting Veneers
The first step prior to considering dental veneers is to make sure your oral health is good. Since costs can vary widely from practice to practice, you should determine your budget prior to doing research to find the best cosmetic dentistry practice. Keep in mind veneers aren’t covered by insurance because they’re considered a cosmetic procedure.
In order to greatly increase the likelihood of being happy with the results, it’s essential to have an open discussion with your dentist. Your dentist needs to have a clear understanding of your personal goals and expectations prior to recommending any cosmetic dentistry. In some cases, expectations are unrealistic or a better option can remedy the problem, such as a dental crown.
Porcelain veneer restorations require in-depth cosmetic dentistry experience and close attention to detail, from beginning to end. The bond between the natural tooth and porcelain veneer is critical to achieving the desired aesthetic outcome, while a strong bond is essential for correct veneer function.
The following issues are essential to achieving a successful outcome:
- Establishing realistic smile goals
- Carefully selecting teeth to get veneers
- Preparing teeth in a manner that optimizes aesthetics
- Using techniques that maximize the veneer strength and its adhesive bond to the tooth
- Delivering a precision fit
- Letting patients try out high-quality provisional veneers
Speak to a Specialist like Dr. Sabourin
Since starting practice, Dr. Sabourin has focused on delivering transformative cosmetic dentistry using the latest techniques, top-quality materials, and the finest dental labs.
When you get veneers from Dr. Sabourin, he first makes sure you’re a good candidate, then puts a lot of thought into the art and science of creating porcelain veneers that blend in beautifully with other teeth and complement your skin tone, gum line, lip line, and facial features.
The best way to determine if veneers are the best option for you is to schedule a complimentary cosmetic dentistry consultation with Dr. Sabourin. You have nothing to lose and your smile has everything to gain!
