Porcelain Veneers: A Versatile Cosmetic Treatment Option

Patients may consult with a cosmetic dentist regarding treatment for any number of issues that are negatively affecting the smile’s aesthetics, such as stains, chips or cracks in the teeth, or unattractive misaligned teeth.

In many such cases, the cosmetic dentist can use porcelain veneers to correct the problem.

Porcelain veneers are very thin, tooth-shaped shells that conceal flaws like those mentioned above. They can brighten deeply stained teeth and even create the appearance of a properly aligned smile when the natural teeth are slightly crooked.

The process of designing and placing the veneers is completed in just a matter of weeks. At the initial appointment, the cosmetic dentist will take impressions of the patient’s teeth, and those impressions are then sent to the dental lab tasked with creating the veneers.

Depending on the thickness of the veneer, the tooth may need to be prepped in advance for veneer placement. The dentist will remove a thin layer of enamel to accommodate the veneer, if necessary. Some veneers are so thin, however, that this step is not required.

When the veneers are ready to be placed, the patient returns to the office for a second appointment. At that time, the dentist is able to make any additional adjustments to the color or shape of the veneer, at the patient’s request. When the patient is satisfied with the veneers’ appearance, the dentist then bonds the veneers atop the natural tooth.

Because the porcelain shares many optical qualities with natural tooth enamel, these veneers are remarkably lifelike. The cosmetic dentist will take great care to design the veneers to match the shade of the patient’s enamel.

The veneer’s shape is also important, and it should mimic the contours of your natural teeth so that it blends in with the smile rather than stands out as blatantly artificial. The dentist will also give this aspect of the veneers’ design ample consideration in the treatment process.

Patients who want to enhance their smiles in a brief timeframe should consult with our skilled dental team at North Shore Restorative and Implant Dentistry to learn if porcelain veneers will be feasible in their cases. These tiny porcelain shells can have a dramatic effect on the smile’s appearance.