Porcelain Veneers: When Whitening Treatments Aren't Enough

19 December 2014
 Categories: Dentist, Blog

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If you have tried whitening your teeth with no success, porcelain veneers are another way to get a bright, white smile. The process is generally painless, and you can have straight, healthy looking teeth after three visits to the dentist.

Porcelain Veneers are a Conservative Treatment

When your teeth are slightly crooked, or there are small gaps in between your teeth, you have several choices. You can take the time and money required to straighten your teeth using braces, a process that can take more than a year. While this is effective for teeth that are moderately crooked, it is not necessary for slight imperfections if you consider porcelain veneers instead. This is a conservative treatment because porcelain replicas of your teeth are simply bonded to the surface of your teeth without the need for braces or drilling.

The Advantages of Porcelain Veneers

You can choose the color of your veneers, depending on how bright you want your smile to be. Your gums are not irritated by the porcelain, and the veneers are stain resistant. You can have a white smile after a couple of visits with your dentist without having to deal with whitening pastes, and cleaners that may not work for you. Veneers are strong, and you can change the overall shape of a tooth with the use of veneers.

How Porcelain Veneers are Used

At your first dental visit, your dentist will assess your mouth to see if you are a good candidate for porcelain veneers. If you have significant decay, or gum disease, these problems will have to be resolved before porcelain veneers can be used to give you a whiter smile. If you are approved for veneers, your dentist will measure each tooth that is going to be covered in order for the veneers to be made.

At your second appointment, your dentist will bond the veneers to your existing teeth. Your teeth will be prepared by the removal of one millimeter of enamel, and a slight roughening of the surface of your teeth in order for the veneers to bond correctly. The veneers will then be bonded to your teeth and the results will be immediate. 

The third dental appointment will be to check on your veneers, to make sure that they are all in the proper place.

Porcelain veneers from places like Carolina Forest Family Dentistry are a great way to improve your smile and give you a healthier appearance. If you have tried whitening products, and you have not seen results with whitening techniques from a dentist, veneers are a good alternative.