If you want to improve your smile, dental porcelain veneers may be a good option for you. Porcelain veneers are thin shells that are attached to the surface of the teeth. Permanent dental bonding is used to apply the veneers to the teeth made with a resin-composite or porcelain material.
Broken
Chipped
Smaller-than-normal
You can place a single porcelain veneer on a tooth or two to cover a tooth space, or you can have a series of porcelain veneers applied to your teeth. Many patients choose to have porcelain veneers put on the top four, six or eight teeth so that when they smile, it's bright and white.
While a lot of our Langley patients at Blue Water Dental opt for porcelain veneers because of tooth discoloring, they're also an option for people with teeth that are:
Types of Porcelain Veneers to Choose From in Langley
Veneers are made of different dental materials, which affect both cost and longevity. The most common material is porcelain, which is better able to repel stains than resin-composite material.
When we apply these porcelain or composite veneers, a lot of prep work adds to the application. You can also choose to have "no-prep" veneers applied to your teeth, which are less invasive and require less prep time. Lumineers are a popular choice for no-prep veneers.
Preparation for Traditional Porcelain Veneers
Traditional porcelain veneers often involve grinding the tooth structure or removing a small portion of the tooth to get past the outer layer of tooth enamel. This dental procedure is necessary for proper veneer placement, and it's irreversible.
Once we reshape the tooth in our Langley office, there's no going back. During the dental procedure, a local anesthetic will reduce the risk of pain or discomfort and we offer sedation for patients who would like more comfort for their appointment.
Preparation for No-prep Veneers for your Teeth
Lumineers, or any no-prep veneer option, requires minimal dental tooth prep if necessary. For some patients, a local anesthesia isn't necessary. No-prep options sound like a great option for everyone, but that's not always the case. The no-prep option isn't ideal if the tooth position needs to shift, and they increase the size of the teeth. If teeth are crowded already, traditional porcelain veneers may be the better dental choice.
Cost of Dental Veneers
Patients are often surprised to learn the cost of porcelain veneers. First and foremost, veneers are not covered by most insurance policies, so you'll need to pay for the dental expenses out-of-pocket. The average price of veneers is $1000 - $1400 in Langley. No-prep veneers are often less expensive than traditional veneers. In terms of dental longevity, you can expect the following:
10 to 15 years for conventional veneers
5 to 7 years for no-prep veneers
We'll discuss the cost with you in our office so that you can better understand your exact costs for veneers.
Benefits of Porcelain Veneers
Most people choose dental veneers because they want to improve their appearance. If you want a smile that brightens up the room, dental veneers are a common option. Many patients who want to improve the cosmetic dental appearance of their smile will opt for veneers.
In terms of treatment, veneers can help with the following issues:
Tooth gaps
Small teeth
Chipped teeth
Broken teeth
Severe dental tooth discoloration where whitening isn't an option
Pointed teeth
Porcelain veneers can also help correct misshapen teeth. Depending on your dental budget and preference, the veneers you choose will be semi-permanent and traditional veneers can last for as long as 15 years.
Preparing for Your Dentistry Appointment
We always schedule a consultation appointment with our Langley patients who want veneers. There are times when veneers are the best option for your teeth, but there are situations when we advise against them.
If you have a slight discoloration we may just recommend simple dentist teeth whitening. For example, let's assume that you have a significantly uneven or crooked tooth. A dental veneer maybe an option, but we'll often recommend Invisalign or dental braces before a veneer to fix your smile when possible.
Similar to a traditional exam, we'll take X-rays to evaluate the health of your teeth. We'll be looking for the following issues:
It's necessary to repair these teeth-related issues before getting porcelain veneers. If or when veneers are a dental possibility, we'll schedule an added appointment where we'll focus on sizing your veneers. During the appointment, we'll trim your teeth to size your veneers properly.
Once we've properly prepared your teeth, we'll take a dental impression of your teeth. The dental impressions are sent to a lab to create the porcelain veneers.
Applying a Porcelain Veneer to Your Tooth
The lab will take around two to three weeks to create the veneers based on the mold of your teeth. Once the veneers are made, we'll call you to schedule your appointment if we didn't add you to the schedule already. We'll do the following:
Evaluate the fit of the veneers
Shape the veneers
Color the veneers
Afterward, we'll thoroughly clean your teeth. The dental cleaning is crucial because it prevents bacteria from getting trapped under the veneer. Without a dental cleaning, tooth decay can occur. A special solution will be used to enhance the bond of the Veneers to your teeth.
We'll then use an ultraviolet light to speed up the dental cement healing process. Once we're done, you can leave the dental office with a beautiful, confident smile. The best part is that the entire appointment for placing your veneers will last, in most cases, less than two hours.
Taking Care of Your New Smile
Veneers must be taken care of properly to last long. However, since the procedure is minor, the recovery time is short. Once the anesthetic wears off, you can eat as usual without any pain or dental discomfort. If you do begin eating too early, the main concern is biting your cheeks or tongue when chewing.
A lot of patients find that their veneers are rough initially. The roughness comes from the dental cement used to apply the veneers. Some of the adhesive may get onto the veneer itself, but don't worry – it will flake away and smooth out. We want your veneers to last as long as possible, and a few ways to extend the longevity of the veneers is to:
Avoid chewing on hard objects, such as ice or pens which could fracture the Veneers
Not chew with your front teeth
Wear a dental splint if you grind or clench your teeth
Wear a dental mouth guard when playing sports
You'll also want to brush your teeth regularly, maintain proper oral hygiene and come in for regular cleanings.
Veneers vs. Crowns at your Langley Dental Office
Veneers are a thin layer of material with typically 1mm or less of thickness that attaches to your teeth. Crowns have double the thickness of a traditional veneer. The veneer covers the front of your tooth, whereas a dental crown covers the entire tooth.
Porcelain can be used for both a veneer or crown, but crowns may also contain an all-metal alloy or porcelain fused to the metal alloy. When you come into our dental office, our dentist will examine your existing teeth to determine whether a crown or veneer is a good option for you. Crowns are optimal when the tooth in question is extremely worn, cracked, requires a root canal, or has a large filling.
In these cases, the crown will cover the entire tooth and provide additional protection that a veneer doesn't offer. If you opt for no crown then your tooth can be highly susceptible to fracture leading to an extraction. In these cases our only options are implants, bridges or partial dentures.
When teeth are intact, veneers offer excellent dental cosmetic benefits and are preferred over crowns.
Veneer Pros
Offers long-term cosmetic benefits without concerns of the metal showing like traditional porcelain fused to metal crown
Depending on the veneer, minimal trimming is necessary, leaving your normal tooth intact
Minimal dental movement occurs with veneers
Veneer Cons
Compared to a crown, more of the natural tooth margin is exposed above the gums, allowing for potential tooth decay to occur
No-prep veneers only last 5 to 7 years in most cases
Dental insurance is unlikely to cover the cost of veneers
Once a tooth is trimmed and prepped, you cannot reverse the veneer process
Crown Pros
The entire tooth is protected, with the crown preventing potential dental tooth decay
Porcelain material is similar to your natural teeth
Insurance may cover the cost of the crown
Crown Cons
Crowns may require a portion of the natural tooth to be removed
You may be sensitive to hot and cold initially, especially if a root canal was needed before placing the crown
Porcelain crowns can be damaged over time, requiring replacement
Thin visible lines between the crown and your natural tooth are possible with porcelain fused metal alloy crowns
Veneers may require tooth preparation to be appropriately applied, but they're a good option for many people who want to enhance their smiles. If you're interested in improving your smile, contact usto schedule an appointment and a dental exam to determine whether you're a good candidate for veneers.
