Many visit Los Angeles cosmetic dentists for a variety of different reasons, however often the solution to these cases involves Porcelain Veneers.
Whether you have crooked, out of place teeth, a filling that sticks out, an unflattering gap you’d like to get rid of, chips or jagged edges, bad discoloration, or simply would like to give your smile a radiant new shine, veneers are an excellent option and one of the most common procedures in modern cosmetic dentistry.
How to know if veneers are right for you/if you’re right for veneers
The first thing it’s important to mention is that you should never get veneers on a whim. Your motivation can be purely cosmetic, and that’s fine, but you should understand that it is a procedure that should not one to be undergone lightly.
That certainty is just one of the things dentists evaluate prior to applying veneers. We’ll also ask questions about your habits — do you bite your nails? Chew on ice? Grind your teeth? Do you floss regularly? Drink a lot of sugar? Veneers, again, are safe, but are also susceptible to heavy pressure. Bad underlying dental hygiene, as well can undermine the bonding process.
That’s the next thing we look for: what state are your teeth in? Though the procedure is similar to placing a cap or crown, the situations in which one or the other might be necessary vary. A tooth with heavy decay or signs of the start of decay, for example, should not hold a veneer, and should instead be capped.
So what is it actually?
Usually made of porcelain, a veneer is a fine, tooth-colored lining about ½ millimeter thick that Los Angeles dentists attach to the front of a tooth. The durability is comparable to that of enamel, and the color can be adjusted as necessary to achieve the desired effect, be it a natural, yellowish look, or a bright, gleaming white.
A dentist will shave the front of the tooth slightly so that the veneer attaches flush, and take a mold of the teeth. It takes about two weeks for the fitted veneers to come back, so in the meantime, temporary veneers may need to be attached.
The procedure itself is relatively simple and painless. A local anesthetic is usually needed for the shaving process, but the veneers can be attached without anesthesia in many cases.
First the insides of the veneers are polished and sanded, to give them the rough, uneven texture that facilitates the binding. Then a special adhesive is applied and the veneers are cemented on, using a UV light that dries the cement.
Once the veneers are locked in, the dentist will shave them, too, so that they conform to the original or desired shape. This part is extremely important, as there are important structural considerations to keep in mind. Apart from causing other problems, interfering with the bite can jeopardize the integrity of the very veneers.
Once you have your veneers
The procedure may be permanent, but the veneers themselves aren’t. You’ll most likely need to get them replaced every five to ten years or so. It’s important to regularly check in with your dentist so that she or he can track the progress and tell you when a change is necessary.
Assuming you take good care of your mouth in general, though, the veneers should hold up until then. So smile.
If you are interested in a free Porcelain Veneers consultation in Los Angeles, you can sign up here.