Veneers

Veneers provide Westgrove Dental’s prosthodontics with a way to improve the look of their patient’s smiles in a minimally invasive way. Whether you have discoloration, worn or chipped enamel, or don’t like the shape of your teeth, veneers can provide a wonderful answer.

What are veneers?

Essentially, a veneer is a thin shell that covers the surface of the tooth. They are made of porcelain and are designed to improve the aesthetic quality of a patient’s smile.

Why might I need veneers?

Veneers can help patients get the smile they’ve always wanted by improving the look of the teeth. Patients turn to veneers for a variety of reasons, including:

• To improve the color of the teeth – Teeth can become discolored for a variety of reasons, and some patients may not be suitable candidates for whitening treatments. Veneers can give you the bright white smile you’ve always wanted.
• To hide small chips or cracks – Your teeth take a lot of beating over the course of any given day, and sometimes that can leave them a little worse for the wear. Veneers can cover minor chipping and cracking issues that can occur from overuse.
• To improve the shape of the teeth – Teeth can become worn down or patients can simply just not like the shape of their teeth. Veneers can improve the aesthetic quality of the teeth, evening teeth out and improving their overall shape.
• To protect the teeth and make them more durable – Over time, the enamel on our teeth can get worn down, due to natural causes or habits, such as smoking or consuming foods and drinks that are harmful to our enamel. Veneers can provide protection, while also improving the durability and look of the teeth.

Am I a candidate for porcelain veneers?

Our trained prosthodontists can determine if veneers may be the best option for you. After an examination, we will help you determine which treatment option is the most ideal for your situation and smile goals.

How are veneers placed?

Getting veneers requires two visits to our offices. At the first, we discuss color, shape and all the details that will go into creating your veneers. Once we know how to create your perfect smile, we’ll begin the process. Local anesthetic is used to ensure you are as comfortable as possible. Then, a small, handheld device is used to shave down the front of your tooth. This is necessary to ensure the veneer can sit on your tooth and look as natural as possible.

Then, we take an impression of your teeth that will allow for your permanent veneers to be created. While waiting for the dental lab to craft your customized veneers, you will receive temporary veneers.

Once the permanent veneers are ready, you will return to our office. We will remove the temporary veneers and carefully place the permanent ones, working meticulously to ensure an ideal fit.

Veneers are a wonderful way to help patients improve the aesthetics of their smiles, in a relatively minimally invasive way. It is important to note that veneers are note a reversible procedure – because we are removing a portion of your enamel to allow for a proper fit of the veneer, your natural tooth will always need something to cover it. While your veneers are highly durable, they will not last forever and will need to be replaced after several years. However, maintaining proper oral care can ensure your veneers last as long as possible.