Living Through Premature Tooth Loss

« Back to Home

Decisions To Make During The Veneer Process

Posted on

If you have finally decided to perfect your smile and want dental veneers, then there are many cosmetic dentists that can provide you with the veneer services. And, you will be asked to make some decisions based on your desires and needs. Keep reading to learn about a few of the things you will need to decide on.

Veneer Materials

One of the more important decisions that you will need to make involves the veneer material. There are two main types of veneers and these include composite resin and porcelain varieties. Composite resin ones are made from the same sort of resin material that is used to create tooth-colored dental fillings. The veneers are made to match the color and tone of your teeth and in some cases, the material can be used to create a lighter and whiter color. Resin is considered to be far cheaper than porcelain and the veneers can be constructed and molded to the teeth right in the dental office. This means that there is only a short wait and you can receive veneers right away at your main appointment.

The other option you have is porcelain. Porcelain veneers are created at an offsite dental clinic and can take several weeks to arrive at the dental office. They cannot be manipulated in the same way that resin can, but this also means that the material is much stronger and resistant to wear and tear. Porcelain veneers are expensive and sometimes cost three to five times more than resin veneers. The material does look more natural though and can often be indistinguishable from natural teeth.

Enamel Removal

Enamel must be removed during the preparation process completed before veneer adhesion. The amount of enamel removed depends on the type of veneer that you choose. And, enamel removal does have some side effects. It is permanent and you may experience some dental sensitivities afterward.

If you are looking at traditional porcelain veneers, then this requires the most enamel removal. Simply put, porcelain is thicker and requires more space across the tooth's surface. You can expect almost the entire removal of the enamel from the front and top surfaces of the tooth. This is true for most veneers. The tooth coverings are still made of porcelain but are constructed to be about one half the thickness. 

If you want composite veneers, then not nearly as much of the enamel is removed. And, if your dentist is going for a bonding process, then this may only involve enamel buffing or roughening.

For more information about dental veneers, contact a clinic like Henderson Family Dentistry.


Share