Have you ever looked at those glamorous Instagram or magazine photos and wondered how everyone has perfect teeth? Or how their smiles are perfectly aligned and pearly white? Whether you take your dental appointments seriously or have dentophobia, your teeth may not look the same as those of the people you see in photos. Are those people just blessed genetically, or do they have a secret to their perfect smiles?

Most are turning to porcelain veneers to acquire pearly white smiles. Are you embarrassed to smile because of how your teeth look? If so, it may be time to consider porcelain veneers to improve your smile. At Valencia Advanced Dentistry at Copperhill Smiles, we can help you achieve the pearl white smile you dream of with veneer treatment. Feel free to call us for a consultation and learn more about our procedures if you seek treatment in Santa Clarita.

Porcelain Veneers Overview

Porcelain veneers refer to a thin layer of porcelain material affixed to the tooth's front surface. They are customized for the individual who wants them, including color, shape, and size. Although most people undergo porcelain veneer treatment for cosmetic purposes, they could also obtain it for restorative purposes. Placing porcelain veneers can be more minimally invasive compared to the treatment with dental crowns, which cover the whole tooth.

Since veneers conform to an individual’s natural teeth, they are an ideal option for fixing damaged teeth rather than extracting and replacing them with dentures or implants. Additionally, porcelain veneers withstand stains better than other dental veneers and have more light-reflecting characteristics of natural teeth.

Candidates for Porcelain Veneers

Whereas porcelain veneers work for most people, not everyone is a good candidate to have them. In many cases, anyone looking to alter their smile's appearance may be an ideal candidate for porcelain veneers. Porcelain veneers can alter the natural teeth's size, shape, and color. Whereas your teeth may not be perfect in appearance, you can be a perfect candidate for porcelain veneer treatment if you have excellent bone structure and healthy gums.

Porcelain veneers assist in addressing the following dental-related problems:

  • Broken or chipped teeth
  • Stained teeth
  • Old fillings and restorations
  • Narrow, uneven, or crooked teeth
  • Crowded teeth
  • Worn down teeth
  • Oddly shaped teeth (for example, teeth that have bulges or craters in them)
  • Gapped teeth
  • Bite problems
  • Tooth discoloration due to root canal procedures, excessive fluoride, large dental fillings, stains from antibiotics like tetracycline or other medications, or other causes

Since placing veneers is a customized process, a qualified cosmetic dental professional can examine your teeth's specific issues and correct them using dental restorations.

When Porcelain Veneers May Not Work

In some cases, porcelain veneers may not work or fail to work immediately. In these cases, the dentist may have to perform other dental procedures before they can place porcelain veneers. One of the cases where porcelain veneers may not work is when you have very worn-off teeth due to grinding or clenching them. If your teeth are so worn off, it will be difficult for the porcelain veneers to attach to their surface.

If your teeth are significantly gapped, you may need orthodontic treatment before placing the porcelain veneers. The orthodontist shifts the teeth to eliminate the large gaps before the cosmetic dental professional can attach the porcelain veneers. Remember that the veneers must stick to the teeth. The gaps will remain if you fix porcelain veneers on teeth with large gaps.

Other times that porcelain veneers may not work include when your jaw is too small, causing your teeth to be misaligned, or if the teeth are too crowded. Again, in these cases, an orthodontist will first have to shift the teeth to create space for them to be correctly placed, then undergo porcelain veneer placement.

The Porcelain Veneer Placement Procedure

Generally, placing dental veneers requires three dental visits—one for consultation and examination and two for making and placing the dental restorations. Treatment can occur on a single tooth or multiple teeth simultaneously.

Consultation and Planning Treatment

Firstly, you will speak with your dental professional about your desired outcome. At this visit, your dental professional will examine your teeth and mouth to ensure porcelain veneers are ideal for your case. You will discuss the placement procedure and its limits. The dentist might take X-ray images and impressions of the teeth and mouth.

Preparation

Once the dentist has determined you are a perfect candidate to receive porcelain veneers, they will kick off the procedure in the second dental visit. The dentist will start by preparing the tooth or teeth for the porcelain veneer. Preparation involves remodeling the tooth surface. The dental professional will remove a thin layer of tooth enamel, less than a fingernail’s thickness. Removing the enamel makes the teeth' surface rough and assists in keeping the veneers stuck in place.

You and the dental professional will determine whether or not to numb the region undergoing treatment before removing the enamel. If so, the dentist will administer a local anesthetic. The dentist will then make an impression or model of the tooth and send it to the dental lab. From the impression, the dental lab will make permanent porcelain veneers. It often takes two weeks to a month for permanent veneers to be returned from the dental lab.

In the meantime, the dentist will fit a temporary veneer over the tooth undergoing treatment. This is an ideal time to assess how the permanent veneers will feel and look. Consider the color and shape before you are fitted with the permanent veneers.

Bonding

During the third appointment, the dental professional will fix the porcelain veneer over the affected tooth to examine its color and fit. They will remove the veneer and trim it several times to attain the appropriate fit before cementing it to the tooth. After achieving the proper fit, the dentist will remove the temporary restorations and clean, polish, and etch the tooth. Etching makes the tooth surface rough to achieve a sturdy bonding process.

The dentist will then apply a bonding adhesive over the tooth and place the permanent veneer. The shade of the dental adhesive used can adjust the veneer's color. After the dentist properly positions the veneer, they will shine a unique light beam over it to activate the chemicals in the adhesive, making it harden faster.

The final stage involves trimming excess adhesive, assessing the bite and fit, and making the necessary adjustments. Your dental professional might request that you return to the office for a check-up in a few weeks to examine the veneer’s placement and your gums.

Note that if you must undergo any other dental work, you must do so before the porcelain veneer placement. You would not want to place porcelain veneers and later undergo a root canal.

For example, if you must undergo the root canal procedure, particularly on teeth you wish to veneer, do so before placing the veneer if possible. Usually, when undergoing the root canal procedure, the tooth darkens. Sometimes, the dental material utilized on the tooth root causes a color change.

Porcelain veneers are extremely thin and more translucent than before, which makes them appear more natural. If your tooth unexpectedly discolors or darkens due to the root canal procedure, it can go through the porcelain veneer. Even though it may not be completely avoidable, do the root canal procedure before the veneer placement so the dental professional can adjust the veneer color as required, depending on the tooth's color after a root canal.

If you require a dental implant or must fill your cavities, do so before undergoing the veneer placement procedure.

Recovery After Treatment

You may worry about the recovery process after the porcelain veneer placement procedure. The recovery should be easy. You may realize that the teeth are slightly sensitive to cold and hot temperatures right after the treatment. You may also experience a slight soreness, although it should be fairly mild. In many cases, you should rarely notice anything unusual except the new pearl-white smile.

Care Tips for Porcelain Veneers

Although porcelain veneers are popular for their long-term value and durability, they wear off after several years. The restorations do not necessitate any special care. Stick to proper oral hygiene routines to prolong their quality and functionality.

Be conscious of consuming highly acidic foods. After each meal, do not brush your teeth immediately. Wait at least an hour and let saliva clean your teeth. Food acids will impact your veneers; therefore, try to moderate your consumption of them. Also, work on improving your nutrition. A balanced diet routine will promote better oral care and strengthen your teeth. Your body will fight various infections if you have a strong enough immune system.

Porcelain veneers can resist significant pressure but do not overestimate this ability. Do not bite on hard surfaces, especially bones. If you clench or grind your teeth, let your dentist know. They will give you a bite guard you can put on at night. This will significantly prevent or lessen tooth clenching or grinding.

Porcelain veneers may need replacement after ten or more years. Several factors must be considered, like eating habits, underlying dental diseases, oral hygiene, or general nutrition. You must maintain a strict dental check-up routine to know more about these factors. Through checkups, the dental professional can determine whether you need to have your veneers replaced.

If you constantly use mouthwash, consider moderating this habit. In most cases, water does better than mouthwash. The extra chemicals in mouthwash increase mouth acidity and dryness. Natural do-it-yourself mouthwashes are perfect alternatives since they contain healthy ingredients. The basic mouthwash combination you could use is water and baking soda. This alternative might be unappealing initially, but it yields better long-lasting effects.

Benefits of Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers offer several advantages. These include the following:

  • They are not stained easily
  • Gums are usually not sensitive to porcelain
  • They resemble natural teeth
  • You could choose a color to brighten darker teeth
  • Porcelain veneers generally do not need as extensive shaping as dental crowns do. They also look better and are stronger
  • Porcelain veneers are long-lasting

Porcelain Veneer Disadvantages

Porcelain veneers are popular for their long-lasting and sturdy nature. However, they also have drawbacks. Some drawbacks of porcelain veneers are:

  • Although not likely, porcelain veneers can loosen and fall off. To minimize the likelihood of this occurring, avoid biting your nails, chewing on hard objects (such as ice, pencils, or other things), or exerting significant pressure on your teeth.
  • If you only obtain one or a few porcelain veneers, they might not precisely match your teeth color. Additionally, the color of the veneers cannot be altered after they are attached. If you wish to whiten your teeth or undergo other dental procedures, you want to do that before placing veneers.
  • Since part of the enamel is scrapped off, your tooth might become highly sensitive to cold and hot drinks and foods.
  • Porcelain veneers are an unideal option for individuals with unhealthy gums and teeth, such as people with active gum disease or decay, weakened teeth due to large fillings, decay, or fracture, or those who do not have sufficient existing tooth enamel on the tooth surface.
  • Porcelain veneers are permanent. The process is not reversible.
  • Teeth with porcelain veneers can still decay. If that happens, you may need a dental crown to conceal the entire tooth.
  • Porcelain veneers cost more than composite resin veneers
  • Usually, porcelain veneers are not repairable if they crack or chip
  • If you grind or clench your teeth, veneers might not be ideal for you as they may chip or crack

How Long-Lasting Are Porcelain Veneers?

Note that porcelain veneers are a permanent fix. They cannot be removed and stay in the mouth after the permanent ones are placed. If you properly care for them, go for regular dental visits, brush your teeth twice daily, and floss, most porcelain veneers can last ten to fifteen years. Some can even last a maximum of twenty years.

The Cost of Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers do not come cheap. However, considering they may last up to twenty years, the cost will be worth it. The price for porcelain veneers is between $925 and $2,500 per tooth; the average cost is approximately $1,500 per tooth. This cost depends on your location and specific needs.

The good news is that you will not need to place porcelain veneers on all the teeth in your mouth. Based on your budget and needs, you could have just a few teeth treated. The bad news is that dental insurance providers almost always consider veneers a cosmetic procedure; thus, they are not covered. Insurance only covers the porcelain veneer procedure on a limited basis.

Other Types of Veneers

There are also other types of veneers made from materials other than porcelain. These include:

Composite resin dental veneers—these veneers can assist in fixing minor problems, like a tiny gap in the teeth or a cracked tooth. Your dental professional will directly apply composite resin, made of ceramic and plastic, to your teeth. Mostly, the whole placement procedure can be completed in a single visit. Composite resin veneers are among the most prevalent treatment options.

Lumineers—these are a type of porcelain veneer. They are thinner compared to standard veneers and less durable. Lumineers might need replacement more often than regular dental veneers. Unlike the other types, Lumineers do not require much prep work. For other types of dental veneers, the dental professional must remove some quantity of the tooth enamel on the front surface of the teeth.

Pop-on dental veneers—these veneers are also called snap-on or removable veneers. They cover the original teeth to conceal any problems. These veneers instantly alter your smile's look, are among the least costly veneer options, and can be removed at any time. Pop-on veneers may make it challenging to eat. They can also alter how you talk.

No-prep dental veneers—even though these restorations are much less involved than the other kinds, they still require tooth enamel extraction. The veneers are an ideal option for correcting small gaps in teeth. Consult your dental professional to see if no-prep veneers are ideal for you.

Find a Reliable Cosmetic Dental Professional Near Me

Porcelain veneers are ideal for enhancing your smile by altering the teeth's size, shape, and color. The key to obtaining optimum results with these dental restorations is having a qualified dental professional place them. Perhaps you have noticed a person with veneers that do not look natural, one whose teeth look so big, or one with veneers that are so bright white. The cosmetic dental professional should work hand in hand with you to create customized restorations that feel and look natural in your mouth.

At Valencia Advanced Dentistry at Copperhill Smiles, we boast cosmetic dentists qualified for veneer treatment. Our treatment procedures are quick and comfortable, and they can achieve the best possible results thanks to the state-of-the-art equipment we use. If you are ready to try porcelain veneers to enhance your smile’s feel and look and wish to undergo treatment in Santa Clarita, call us today at 661-775-7717 to learn more and schedule an appointment.