Porcelain Veneers

What are Porcelain Veneers?
Porcelain veneers, also called ‘dental veneers,’ are medical-grade ceramics used to cover the teeth’ surface to improve their appearance. Porcelain veneers are customized to give teeth brighter shade and better size and shape. They are usually made from porcelain or resin composite materials. However, porcelain veneers are better at resisting stains than resin veneers are. They also have a light-reflecting property, which is very similar to a natural tooth.


Porcelain Veneers History
The first use of veneers dates back to almost a century ago when the film industry was booming. In the late 1920s, a well-known doctor in Hollywood pioneered veneers to cover the actors’ and actresses’ front teeth surface. The reason is to create an illusion of brighter smiles on screen. It did not take long before it became a popular trend and beauty trademark of Hollywood. Despite the innovation, the invented veneers would only be temporary and would not stick on the teeth. In the late 1960s, Dr. Michael Bunocore innovated adhesive dentistry. The process involved etching the teeth and applying an acidic solution between the surface and the sealant. Finally, in 1982, J.R. Calamia and R.J. Simonsen applied Dr. Bunocore’s dental sealant in sticking the veneers onto the teeth’ surface. Since then, people began to have access to eye-catching bright smiles!
Why Choose Porcelain Veneers
One day you may find that your smile may not be as lovely and bright as it used to be. Now that you are reading this, you are most likely searching for treatment options to improve your smile and may even be considering cosmetic dentistry such as veneers. You are not the only one. Many people are indeed interested in getting porcelain veneers. Patients who had tried the procedure can attest to a dramatic transformation and improvement of their smile right after the treatment. At Glen Park Dental, you can be sure of the following benefits that porcelain veneers have to offer.
Benefits of Porcelain Veneers
Simple and Easy
Dental veneers are made of thin medical-grade porcelain attached to the front of your teeth to make them look whiter, straighter, and more attractive. They are highly personalized to suit each patient’s needs while ensuring they make the best look possible. They mimic the natural features of teeth, such as the color and its light-reflecting ability. Moreover, they do not get stained quickly, making them esthetically pleasing and practical to use, and well worth your money.
Quick Cosmetic Fix
Braces are one of the standard orthodontic procedures to treat gaps between the teeth. However, some people understandably want to skip the pain of going through the procedure, not to mention the amount of effort they have to dedicate in caring for the braces and their teeth, and the length of time they have to endure waiting before finally seeing the result. Instead, they opt for the less painful and faster treatment with dramatic transformation - the veneers. Instead of having your teeth moved, veneers would simply camouflage the dental issues. This means that after the procedure, only you and your dentist know that you have undergone the treatment, except, of course, if you have told other people about it. Nevertheless, not only can they be produced quickly, but they are also protective, comfortable, and natural-looking.
Increase Confidence in Your Smile
The procedure of getting veneers takes at least two dental appointments. On your first visit, the dentist will etch the teeth by removing a little enamel from your teeth’ front surface to give space for veneers. While waiting for the permanent veneers, your dentist will provide you with ones you can temporarily use to protect the etched teeth. The second appointment will be when the permanent veneers are attached to the teeth’ surface. During this time, your dentist will ensure that the color and shape match the natural teeth’ enamel. A few adjustments may need to be done to make sure that they look and feel natural. At the end of the day, you go home with a healthier, brighter, and prettier smile!
Correcting Imperfections
Your teeth may display an array of dental problems such as chips, discoloration, and irregular shaping. You might think you might need multiple cosmetic and dental treatments to improve the teeth’ condition and appearance. However, there is a more efficient way to treat them. Dental veneers can fix those mentioned issues at once!
Natural Appearance
This treatment may take more than one appointment, but it sure is worthy of your time and money. It is made so that the color looks natural but brighter and healthier-looking, and the shape is contoured to match the contours of the teeth’ enamel.
Prevent Tooth Discoloration
Veneers do not get stained easily, as mentioned previously. However, if you want them to last even longer, you must practice proper oral hygiene habits and be more conscious of the food you eat. Avoid as much as possible foods and drinks that may stain the teeth. Aside from that, avoid biting foods that are too hard as you might break your veneers. Nevertheless, it can last for about ten to fifteen years if they are well taken care of.
Low Maintenance
Porcelain veneers are non-porous, making them resistant to stain. This also means that maintaining them simply requires you to brush and floss at least twice a day.
Money’s Worth
Porcelain veneers can serve multiple purposes - from teeth whitening to orthodontic camouflage and enamel replacement. Veneers are more than just improving the aesthetics of your smile. They also correct imperfections, support the teeth to be fully functional, and boost patients’ self-confidence, making them worth the investment.
How Porcelain Veneers Works
Step 1: Tooth Trimming
Tooth preparation before cementing the veneers on the teeth’ surface involves filing down a little portion of your teeth’ surface. The thickness of the teeth’ enamel that needs to be filed down should be the same as the veneers’ thickness to be attached.
Step 2: Selecting A Shade for The Veneer
Your dentist will choose the shade of porcelain that closely matches your surrounding teeth. He will determine what parts of the laminae need to be translucent so that your tooth looks new and natural.
Step 3: Teeth Impression
After having your teeth etched, an impression of your teeth and gums will be taken so that the dentist can have a good view of the jawbone structure and determine how to go about the procedure. This process mainly involves a thick paste-like substance on a tray which the patient bites to make an impression. These days digital 3D intraoral scanners are replacing the conventional silicone impressions.
Step 4: Evaluating the Fit
As soon as the veneers are ready, he will attach them to examine the fit’s accuracy. This step is essential as even a slight miscalculation can result in a significant problem. Thus, during this stage, before finally going home with new and better-looking teeth, the veneers would be put in place, removed, and trimmed several times to achieve the perfect fit.
Step 5: Bonding It on The Tooth
Once everything is in perfect size, color, and shape, your dentist will polish the teeth and apply an acid gel on the teeth’ surface before bonding the veneers onto the teeth. The gel will be washed off then a bonding agent will be added on the veneers to strengthen the bond. After that, the chosen shade of veneer color will be applied followed by a blue light to finalize the bonding. The final touch would be cleaning and flossing them.
Why You Should Choose Cosmetic Dentistry
One day you may find that your smile may not be as lovely and bright as it used to be. Now that you are reading this, you are most likely searching for treatment options to improve your smile and may even be considering cosmetic dentistry such as veneers. You are not the only one. Many people are indeed interested in getting porcelain veneers. Patients who had tried the procedure can attest to a dramatic transformation and improvement of their smile right after the treatment. At Glen Park Dental, you can be sure of the following benefits that porcelain veneers have to offer.

Final Words
Veneers are thin strips of porcelain that are applied over top of your teeth to give your smile an improved appearance or fix chips, cracks, discolorations or gaps. Porcelain veneers have come a long way and have become so much more beautiful and efficient than the original veneers. If you are one of those who want to achieve excellent results in a fast, easy, and minimally-invasive way, porcelain veneers are the best option for you! Schedule a consultation with us through our website, Glen Park Dental, or call us at (604) 474-0403 to learn more about possible treatment options and discuss with our dentists your desired results and how you want to achieve them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Porcelain veneers prices range a lot depending on the type of veneers you want, the area where you plan to get the procedure, and the dentist’s expertise. Nevertheless, they are definitely well worth your money as they turnover fast and dramatic results, plus they correct the shape and the color and make the teeth to be more functional again.
On average, porcelain veneers can last for a decade but with proper and consistent oral hygiene habits and care for the veneers, they can even last up to two decades! Their longevity is often associated with a patient’s ability to care for them.
Porcelain veneers do not ruin your teeth in any way. As a matter of fact, they protect the natural teeth from cavities and other disease-causing dental problems. Weakened teeth are at risk of being cracked or chipped any time, but with veneers, the teeth are coated, thus adding protection and support.
Taking care of your veneers is pretty straightforward! Just brush and floss your teeth regularly and consistently.
Dentists offer numbing agents during the first part of the procedure. With it, you can no longer feel any discomfort. Patients who have had two to four veneer procedures feel little to no pain after the treatment, while those who have had eight or more may have sore gum and jaw.
Veneers are for people who want to preserve their natural teeth but need them to be healthier, in better shape and whiter color. If you notice in your teeth significant changes like staining, cracks, or chips, or your teeth are mismatched or slowly wearing down due to aging; then you might be the right candidate for porcelain veneers.
No, you cannot. Veneers are not a replacement for missing teeth. To have porcelain veneers you must have teeth because those are where the veneers will be attached.
If you have a large filling, a root canal, or if your tooth is worn down or cracked - a crown would be a better option for you. If your tooth is still intact and the procedure is more on aesthetic purposes, such as correcting a shape or improving the shade, then a veneer is right for you.
No you will not be put to sleep, but your dentist will administer local anesthesia so you will not feel any discomfort throughout the procedure.
They are not stronger or weaker than your real teeth, they will only feel natural - like your real, natural teeth. Given they were correctly performed, you will not feel any difference when talking or eating. It will be as if you had not undergone the procedure at all!
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