If you have teeth that are discolored, chipped, worn or misaligned, porcelain veneers could offer a quick and fantastic fix in as little as a week or 10 days.
Often called dental veneers or porcelain laminates, porcelain veneers are very thin shells of porcelain that are bonded to the front side of a tooth or multiple teeth, cosmetically improving their appearance. These veneers are commonly used to repair teeth as an alternative to minor orthodontics.
Veneers remove less of the healthy tooth structure than full crowns without compromising the health of the gums or dentition.
One of the many advantages of porcelain veneers when compared to other types of cosmetic dental bonding is that porcelain offers a very realistic tooth appearance.
This life-like look is obtained by the glass-like quality of porcelain. Similar to the enamel found in real teeth, porcelain does not reflect light. The light actually penetrates porcelain in the same way it penetrates enamel, so the tooth looks like the original.
The glass-like quality of porcelain also offers another great advantage. While bonding materials used in the past were susceptible to discoloration, especially for people whose teeth were regularly exposed to coffee, red wine, tea, or cigarettes, porcelain veneers are now extremely smooth and, therefore, highly resistant to permanent stains.
Porcelain veneers are not the answer for all situations, though. For instance, porcelain veneers are not recommended in cases of severe crowding or misalignment of teeth. To find out if you are a candidate for porcelain veneers, call your dentist today.
Kimberly Rosen has been practicing dentistry in the Santa Clarita Valley for 15 years. For more information, please call 661-255-2545.