Porcelain Veneers

What are Porcelain Dental Veneers?

Porcelain dental veneers are a custom-designed shell inserted onto the surface of your teeth like a new layer of enamel to help restore the look of your teeth. Once inserted, they can cover damaged or worn enamel, provide a bright, white surface, and even help straighten crooked teeth.

Porcelain veneers are the ideal option for smile improvement, having become increasingly popular due to their simplicity and versatility. When bonded, they are virtually undetectable and highly resistant to coffee, tea, or even cigarette stains (though we do not condone smoking for a variety of health reasons) and their resemblance to natural tooth enamel is second to none. Because they are thin, they take on the natural color of the underlying tooth.

Picture a veneer as an ultra-thin covering on your teeth’s outer surface made from super-strong, enamel-mimicking materials, thus making it a tooth’s perfect substitute. Having a porcelain veneer bonded to your tooth makes for an attractive, radiant, and new exterior.

Call Hollywood Park Dental in San Antonio, Texas today at 210-494-3030 or continue reading for more information!

How Long Do Porcelain Veneers Last?

With proper care, porcelain veneers will assist in giving you your dream smile for at least a decade. We ensure that your veneers are made from the highest quality porcelain and bonded using state-of-the-art technology.

How Do Porcelain Dental Veneers Work?

Most common veneer applications involve removing a fine layer of tooth enamel before applying the porcelain material, making room for a seamless fitting of the porcelain veneer and giving it the most natural appearance possible. Porcelain dental veneers can help adjust not just your tooth color, but also its size, shape, and spacing.

What Type of Problems Do Porcelain Veneers Correct?

•     Discolored Teeth
•     Worn-Down Teeth
•     Chipped or Broken Teeth
•     Misaligned, Uneven, or Irregularly Shaped Teeth
•     Gaps in Teeth

What is the Procedure for Porcelain Veneers?

• Diagnosis and treatment planning: While we are here to help, we want to make sure you play an active role in planning your smile.
• Preparation: A mold is taken of your teeth and sent to the lab for fabrication. The veneer should be ready in approximately a week or two.
• Bonding: First, we place the veneer on your teeth with water or glycerin to check the fit and color. By this point, the color of the veneer is still adjustable by the shade of the cement used to adhere it before the tooth is cleansed with specific chemicals to achieve a bond.

Composite vs. Porcelain Veneers

Composite veneers have many advantages, namely their ability to remain cost-effective while not sacrificing quality. Direct composite veneers are sculpted onto your teeth rather than at a lab. The tooth-shaded resin is directly applied to teeth where it can be shaped, sculpted, and polished to elicit a more natural appearance.

While many patients prefer composite veneers to porcelain veneers, porcelain veneers can be a great option with proper care. Porcelain veneers are made of a more durable material than composite resin veneers and may last longer as a result. Porcelain veneers typically last between 10-15 years, while composite resin dental veneers last around 4-8 years.

How to Take Care of Porcelain Veneers

If you want to improve your smile with cosmetic dentistry, then veneers are a good treatment option. Along with proper at-home care, such as brushing with a non-abrasive toothpaste and flossing daily, and regularly scheduled checkups every six months, they are sure to provide you with a beautiful smile for years to come.

You may experience some sensitivity to extreme temperatures after placement of your veneer. This is due to the amount of enamel left on the tooth after it has been prepped. This is normal and should subside in a few weeks time. If sensitivity persists, please do not hesitate to call us at 210-494-3030.

Additionally, if you are known for clenching your teeth (bruxism), please be sure to let us know. We may recommend a soft, durable night guard for you to wear that can minimize stress placed on your teeth while you sleep.

For answers to questions such as, “do porcelain veneers stain?” or for more information on how to get porcelain veneers in San Antonio, call 210-494-3030 to schedule a consultation today!