How Veneers Can Improve Your Smile
June 7, 2018
Thankfully, your oral health is good, but your self-confidence would improve if your smile looked better. Does a prominent chip and staining embarrass you so much you often cover your mouth? At Park Crossing Dentistry in Charlotte, NC, your dentists, Dr. Richard Bateman, Dr. Joshua Neubauer, and Dr. Emerald Powell, place lifelike porcelain veneers, thin, tooth-colored covers which normalize the shape, size, and color of selected teeth. Find out how veneers could help you smile.
The whats and hows of veneers
They’re a very popular cosmetic dental treatment. Disguising the front of teeth which have minor flaws such as small gaps, chips, stains, and more, porcelain veneers are custom-colored, shaped, and placed by your Charlotte dentist in two visits to Park Crossing Dentistry.
After a discussion of your aesthetic smile goals and after your Charlotte dentist confirms your teeth and gums are healthy, they will remove a thin portion of enamel from each tooth receiving a veneer. This procedure is quick and relatively comfortable; however, the 1/2 mm reduction makes veneers a permanent enhancement. In other words, once you wear veneers, you always wear veneers.
Then, the doctor takes oral impressions so the dental lab technician knows how to craft each veneer for best size, fit and bite. Their semi-translucent appearance is matched to the rest of your smile using photos and your dentist’s instructions. While you wait for your veneers (it takes a week or so), you’ll wear temporary ones so your smile, speaking, and chewing feel normal.
When you return to Park Crossing Dentistry, your dentist will remove the temporary veneers. They will use a special bonding adhesive to place the permanent veneers over the front sides of your teeth. The doctor varies the shade of the cement to achieve the most natural-looking result. No, veneers are not like identical pickets in a backyard fence. They are intentionally crafted to look like real teeth (only better) with realistic variations in color and shape.
Caring for veneers
The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry says that veneers are just as durable and long-lasting as porcelain crowns. However, there are two caveats regarding their care:
- Don’t bite into hard foods, such as peanut brittle or candy apples, and don’t use your teeth to open bottles or plastic packaging.
- Even though veneers are stain-resistant and don’t decay, you must brush twice a day and floss once a day as usual. Also, see your dentist at Park Crossing Dentistry semi-annually for your routine exams and cleanings.
Contact us in Charlotte, NC
We’d love to talk to you about our many cosmetic dentistry options, including stunning porcelain veneers. For a consultation call us today at (704) 541-5059.