When your teeth have imperfections, such as cracks, chips, or gaps, you may find yourself trying to hide your smile from the world. After all, your smile says a lot about you, and one that is less than perfect will be noticed right away.
Instead, you give tight-lipped grins and cover your mouth when you laugh; anything to hide your teeth. At Hunsaker Dental, we understand the self-consciousness that comes along with imperfect teeth, even minor imperfections. And for these minor imperfections, we also have the solution.
Veneers
Veneers are thin “shells” that are placed on the visible surface of your teeth to cover up minor imperfections. Typically, they are made out of either composite resin or porcelain. For the best, and longest-lasting cosmetic results, our veneers are made from porcelain.
Why Porcelain Veneers?
We use porcelain for a few different reasons. First, it creates a natural cover over your affected tooth and blends perfectly in with the rest of your teeth as it can be perfectly color-matched with the use of a special color guide.
Second, porcelain is stronger than composite resin, which is highly susceptible to damage even by normal eating. Porcelain can withstand normal biting forces and will last up to 20 years or more with proper care.
What Can Veneers Fix?
Our porcelain veneers can fix a variety of minor imperfections present in your teeth. These include imperfections such as:
- Chips
- Small cracks
- Visible gaps between teeth
- Uneven teeth, either naturally or due to wear
- Teeth that are discolored, and cannot be whitened, even with the use of professional treatments. This type of discoloration can be the result of trauma or an effect of medication taken as a child that has affected the permanent teeth.
Veneer Procedure
Porcelain veneers typically take two visits. During your first visit, after you are deemed an appropriate candidate, your tooth, or teeth, is prepared.
This process involves a local anesthetic, which helps to alleviate any discomfort you might otherwise experience, and the removal of a small amount of enamel. We remove the enamel to make room for the veneer so that it sits perfectly amongst the rest of your natural teeth.
Next, we take an impression and use our color guide to find the shade that best matches the color of the rest of your teeth. Both the chosen color and the impression are sent to a lab, which will fabricate your veneer. This process typically takes one to two weeks.
When your veneer is ready, you will return for your second visit. Before it is bonded to your tooth, we will first check the fit and the color to make sure that everything is comfortable and natural. Then we cement the veneer to the surface of your tooth, roughing up the surface with a special gel to create a stronger bond, and you are left with a beautiful, flawless smile.
How to Care for Your porcelain Veneers
You do not need to do anything special to care for your veneer. You must treat them as you would the rest of your natural teeth, by brushing twice a day and flossing daily.
Even though the porcelain surface cannot suffer decay, it can collect plaque and bacteria that promote it among the rest of your teeth. And you should continue to visit the office twice a year for regular cleanings and exams. During these visits, we can help keep your mouth healthy and check your veneer, as well as the rest of your teeth, for signs of damage.
With porcelain veneers, you no longer need to hide away your smile. You will be able to flash a perfect grin confidently again. Give us a call today at Salem: 503-877-1598 or Monmouth: 503-877-1590 to schedule your appointment!
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