Of all the changes that you can make to your smile with cosmetic dentistry, veneers are one of the most transformative standalone procedures that you can choose. They can create a white, even, attractive smile, and are available in several materials. However, porcelain veneers offer the most benefits to patients.
What Are Porcelain Veneers?
Porcelain veneers are thin, custom-fit, tooth-colored shells that are and bonded to the front of teeth. Porcelain veneers are considered the most versatile cosmetic dentistry solution that is available. They can be used to restore your smile in several ways with just one treatment.
Porcelain offers a natural looking and less bulky alternative to composite veneers. Patients can expect to fit veneers in just a few appointments at Drs of Smiles in Mesa, AZ.
What Can Porcelain Veneers Correct?
Porcelain veneers help with several common problems including:
- Broken or chipped teeth
- Discoloration or staining
- Misshapen and crooked teeth
- Sensitivity
- Small holes or pits in teeth
- Spaces between teeth
Who Is An Ideal Candidate For Porcelain Veneers?
Porcelain veneers do not harm your teeth, so most people are good candidates for the procedure. However, patients with decay, gum disease, weakened teeth or inadequate enamel are not candidates for veneers. These patients will have to have periodontal treatment before receiving veneers. In addition, patients who grind their teeth or have missing teeth are not candidates. If you are missing teeth, Dr. Glenn LeSueur & Dr. Charles Dodaro may recommend dental bridges or implants for those areas.
Advantages Of Porcelain Veneers Over Composite Veneers
Using porcelain when making veneers offers many benefits. Porcelain is the ideal material for veneers because they blend well with your other teeth. Patients who choose porcelain veneers achieve the most natural-looking results, and porcelain interacts with light in a similar way as enamel. Additionally, porcelain is durable, does not require a lot of changes to the original tooth, and does not stain. Our Mesa porcelain veneer dental team can further advise you on the best option for your case.
Can Veneers Be Combined With Other Dental Treatments?
Of all the cosmetic dentistry solutions you can choose from, porcelain veneers can make the biggest change in a stand-alone procedure. Although, Drs of Smiles can combine veneers with other treatments, such as gum recontouring and replacing your fillings.
How To Prepare For Placement Of Porcelain Veneers
There isn’t any preparation necessary for these treatments. When you come into our Val Vista Drive offices, we will clean your teeth. At this point, we’ll decide if you have staining that could merit teeth whitening prior to making the choice of porcelain color for your veneers. This will remove stains and bring your teeth back to their natural color. That would be really the only possible preparation used, but it isn’t anything you need to do at home before your appointment.
How Are Dental Veneers Placed?
The veneer placement process will take several visits to our office. During your first appointment, Dr. Glenn LeSueur or Dr. Charles Dodaro will examine your teeth. This is the patient’s opportunity to address any questions or concerns about the upcoming procedure. At the second visit, our staff will remove a small amount of enamel from each tooth that is to receive a veneer. Then, a mold of your teeth is made and sent to a lab that creates the porcelain veneers. The veneers take about one to two weeks so patients can receive a temporary veneer while they wait.
Once the veneers are ready, an appointment will be scheduled for placement. First, we check the fit and trim, as well as the color. Then, a special material is applied which bonds the tooth and veneer. Once the veneer is positioned properly, a light beam is applied to cure the bonding material. Porcelain veneers are one of the most non-invasive are relatively pain-free cosmetic dentistry solutions available. Finally, patients are free to leave and resume their normal activities.
Dental Veneers Before & After
Are Porcelain Veneers Permanent?
Your porcelain veneers can last from seven to 20 years. The lifespan can be dictated by changes with the underlying teeth or surrounding gum tissue. Porcelain veneers can’t decay, and they are highly resistant to staining. But the underlying tooth can still get decay, if you don’t provide good consistent hygiene.
If a veneer happens to detach it can usually be re-bonded to the tooth.
One thing is important to remember if you’re considering getting porcelain veneers — having porcelain veneers is a lifetime arrangement, due to the need to remove the slight amount of enamel from your teeth to make room for the veneers. Because of this, once your veneers have reached their lifespan, you’ll need to have a new set of veneers applied.
Maintaining Your Porcelain Veneers
After the veneers are in place, we schedule a follow-up appointment about two weeks later. Our staff at Drs of Smiles will make sure the patient is comfortable with the fit. We advise patients to treat their veneers just like natural teeth. Brushing, flossing, and routine dental exams are a great way to maintain your veneers, gums, and natural teeth. We also recommend non-abrasive toothpaste.
What Our Patients Have To Say
"I am a new patient in the office. They are have been absolutely fantastic. The front desk is very friendly, great me by name when I come in. They take me back quickly, explain everything they are doing. The dentist Dr. Glen is gentle and caring. Explains everything in detail. I am very happy to have them as my dentist’s office."
Will I Experience Pain While Getting Porcelain Veneers?
When we are shaving the minimal amount of enamel (usually about 0.5 mm) from the teeth to receive veneers we first provide local anesthesia to ensure your comfort. You won’t feel anything. We then place your temporary veneers while your permanent veneers are being fabricated. You may have some slight sensitivity to hot and cold during this period, but it passes quickly and isn’t extreme.
When your custom veneers arrive at our Mesa offices, you return, and we remove your temporary veneers and place your permanent veneers. This is painless.
Can I Eat Normally With Porcelain Veneers?
You can eat whatever you want when you have porcelain veneers placed on your teeth, but it isn’t a bad idea to make a couple slight adjustments. This could be a good time to give up caramel apples or other really sticky foods. This is especially true if you bite into them because the caramel can pull off a veneer. If this happens, the veneer can be reattached, but you’d probably rather avoid that.
Other potential changes would be really hard foods that you gnaw. For instance, gnawing on ribs with your veneers could also cause one to come loose or even break. You don’t have to give up ribs, but you might want to simply cut the meat off the bone first.
Side Effects Of Dental Veneers
There are usually no long-term side effects of placing veneers. Patients do occasionally experience sensitivity to hot and cold. This is typically temporary and caused by the lack of enamel on the teeth with veneers. Patients can expect this sensation to alleviate itself within one to two weeks.
Safety Of Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are completely safe procedures. This is because there are no incisions made and the veneers are only cosmetic in nature. Dr. LeSueur or Dr. Dodaro shave off a portion of the tooth enamel on each tooth receiving a veneer, but this is only done to the outside of the tooth. These procedures are basically risk free and very satisfying for our patients.
Cost Of Porcelain Veneers
The cost of your veneers varies depending upon how many teeth you are having covered with veneers. For instance, if you just have a couple teeth that have been chipped or are a little misshapen, you may only want to have those two teeth covered with veneers. Other patients want all of their visible front teeth covered so that they have a perfect, brilliant smile. The costs will be different for these patients.
Also, the materials make a difference. Although we recommend porcelain as the material for your veneers, you can also opt to have composite resin veneers instead. There is a difference in cost between the materials.
During your consultation, we can give you the estimate for your cost.
Are Porcelain Veneers Covered By Insurance?
The application of porcelain veneers (or composite veneers) is deemed by insurance companies to be an elective, cosmetic treatment. For that reason, they do not cover it in their dental insurance plans. At Drs of Smiles, we do offer payment plans, however.
Schedule A Phoenix Porcelain Veneer Consultation
For more information on porcelain veneers and to schedule a consultation call 480.834.6991 today! Dr. Glenn LeSueur and Dr. Charles Dodaro serve Mesa, Phoenix, Gilbert, Tempe, Scottsdale Arizona, and surrounding areas.