Dental veneers: should you get them?
Do you have gaps between your teeth?
Are your teeth discoloured or misshapen?
Are your teeth short and worn down?
Are your teeth crooked?
If you answered yes to one or more of the above questions, you may benefit from having dental veneers to improve your smile.
What are they?
Dental veneers are facings put over the front (and sometimes the edges) of teeth to correct a variety of aesthetic concerns. They can help to improve the colour, shape and alignment of teeth.
What are they made of?
Dental veneers can either be placed directly onto teeth (known as direct/composite veneers). This procedure is usually completed on the same day. Composite resin (used for white fillings) is placed onto the teeth to change their shape, colour, alignment or length.
These veneers generally last around 5-6 years and are the cheaper of the two types of veneers. They can usually be completed in one appointment, but they do tend to stain and discolour depending on what foods you eat or drink.
The other type of veneers are known as indirect, or porcelain veneers. As the name suggests, they are made of dental porcelain. As a result, they tend to look and feel extremely natural. They tend to last longer than direct/composite veneers. They can be brittle, so avoiding biting on hard foods with the teeth is not recommended. People that grind or clench their teeth may not be good candidates for this type of veneer as they have a tendency to chip or fracture the veneers.
What is the step-by-step procedure to getting veneers done?
- A thorough consultation is recommended so we can determine your smile goals. We may take some photographs, and molds (impressions of your teeth) to do planning and a ‘mock-up’ of how your teeth will look like with veneers.
- We then discuss with you what would be necessary to achieve the smile you want. We may use models of your teeth and a ‘mock-up’ to give you an idea of how your teeth will look with veneers on them. We can even put temporary veneers on your teeth to show you what your new smile would look like. We would then get feedback from you on any changes you would want to make.
- If you’re happy to go ahead, the next step is to start the treatment. This generally involves a very minimal and conservative preparation of the teeth so that the veneers can fit on properly. If you are having composite veneers, the composite material is then placed on your teeth carefully (we usually use a guide based on the mock-up), and contour and polish it. If you’re having porcelain veneers, molds are taken of your teeth and temporary veneers are made whilst our master technician makes your veneers.
- If you’ve had composite veneers, we might see you again to do a bit more polishing and check to make sure you are 100% pleased with the outcome. If you’ve had porcelain veneers, we would see you in about 2 weeks’ time to carefully attach the veneers to your teeth.
If you have any further questions about dental veneers, please call us on 6143 5655 so we can discuss your treatment needs.
You can also book online here.
