Embarrassing chips and other flaws on your teeth may cause you to feel self-conscious and hide your smile. Fortunately, dental veneers can help restore your smile and confidence. Porcelain veneers are thin, custom, non-removable tooth prosthetics. Fabricated to have a lifelike shape and color, veneers can provide the Hollywood smile you’ve always wanted.
The experienced dentists at The Smile Centre are passionate about creating gorgeous, healthy smiles. To learn how we can help you, call today to schedule a free consultation at one of our three office locations. If you live in the Sarasota area of Florida, contact our Palm Aire location online or at 941-351-4468. If you live in or around Florida, please contact us online. We happily welcome patients from across Florida, including Sarasota, and Bradenton.
What Are Porcelain Veneers?
Porcelain veneers are thin shells of dental ceramic, bonded to the front surface of your existing teeth to mask a wide range of aesthetic flaws. These versatile restorations can be colored to either perfectly match the rest of your teeth, or whitened to create a smile that is brilliantly white.
Porcelain veneers can be bonded to just one or two teeth to correct specific problems, or they can be used on all your teeth to give you a dazzling, bright white smile. During your initial consultation, we will discuss your unique concerns, explain all of your treatment options and determine if you are a good candidate for porcelain veneers.
What Issues Can Dental Veneers Address?
Dental veneers are placed to conceal a variety of cosmetic problems, from severe issues that affect multiple teeth to minor flaws that only involve one tooth. Some of the dental imperfections that our experienced dentists can correct with porcelain veneers include:
- Misshapen teeth
- Discolored teeth
- Crooked teeth
- Gapped teeth
- Severely worn teeth
- Cracked or chipped teeth
- Uneven teeth
If you are struggling with one or more of these common cosmetic dental problems, you will be delighted at how well porcelain veneers can improve the appearance of your smile and significantly boost your self-confidence. Contact The Smile Centre today to learn more.
Is the Porcelain Veneer Procedure Painful?
No, the procedure is virtually painless. Since placing porcelain veneers is minimally invasive, the only preparation required is the removal of a thin layer of enamel on the teeth being covered. The thickness of the enamel being removed will be the same thickness as the veneer.
Benefits of Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are aesthetically stunning, but their radiant beauty isn’t the only benefit of these effective restorations. Porcelain veneers are:
- Versatile: Veneers can be used to conceal several aesthetic issues at once and can serve as effective alternatives to other treatments such as braces in appropriate situations.
- Durable: Although they look delicate, porcelain veneers are quite durable and able to function like your natural teeth.
- Resilient: Veneers resist discoloration, stains, breaking and scratching. With proper care, your veneers should remain bright, white and beautiful for a very long time.
- Customized: Whether for one tooth or several teeth, porcelain veneers are fully customized to meet your unique needs and the specific color of your existing or ideal smile.
- Beautiful: Porcelain veneers look like natural, attractive teeth, custom-crafted to the brightness you desire, with a lifelike luster.
- Convenient: Porcelain veneers can perfect your smile comfortably, in just a few short weeks.
Not only can porcelain veneers provide beautiful, long-lasting results, they can make a dramatic improvement to your self-image and overall quality of life. When you feel confident in your smile, you share it more often, allowing the real you to shine through in social and professional interactions.
Will Dental Veneers Make My Teeth Look Straighter?
Porcelain veneers address many cosmetic concerns, including tooth presentation. Crooked teeth, irregularly shaped or sized teeth, and gaps in between the teeth can all be addressed with veneers, helping to produce a straight, symmetrical, and stunningly beautiful smile you’ll feel proud to show the world.
How should I prepare for My Porcelain Veneers Procedure?
To place your veneers, you will need more than one appointment. During the first appointment, you will have your teeth prepared for the veneers. Since the veneers are placed during the second appointment, you will need to avoid foods and drinks that can irritate your teeth. Try eating soft foods with a moderate temperature and refrain from any food or drink that is sticky, hot, or cold.
Are Teeth Veneers Right for Me?
If you are unhappy with the appearance of your smile, you may already be a great candidate for porcelain veneers. Another benefit of dental veneers is that they are an ideal cosmetic dentistry solution for almost everyone. If you have generally good dental health, strong teeth and healthy gums, veneers may be right for you.
The first step in determining if you are a good candidate for porcelain veneers is to meet personally with one of our knowledgeable dentists in an initial, confidential consultation. During this one-on-one meeting, our dentist will assess the state of your oral health, listen to your goals, answer your questions and address your concerns. Your candidacy for veneers will be determined and all of your treatment options will be thoroughly explained. You will discuss various aspects of your veneer treatment, including:
- Your unique aesthetic goals: One of the first things we will do is determine which treatment options can best meet your unique goals. By first understanding what you’d like to change about your smile, we can effectively develop a customized treatment plan to help you achieve your goals.
- Your expectations for results: Dental veneers are versatile dental restorations, but it’s important to have a clear understanding of what they can and can’t deliver. We will work to set honest expectations of your treatment. For example, teeth veneers may be a good solution to correct teeth that are mildly crooked, but more pronounced misalignment issues may require more extensive treatment, such as Invisalign. If you suffer from severely crooked teeth, traditional metal braces may be more appropriate. In every situation, we will be honest and straight-forward with you, ensuring every decision made is in the best interest of your safety, satisfaction and dental health.
- How quickly you want to see results: While some dental treatments can take months to achieve the final outcome, tooth veneers provide results quickly. This makes them a great option for patients who would prefer an improved smile in just a few office visits.
- How long you want your results to last: Dental veneers deliver long-lasting results. They are durable, and stain and damage-resistant. Although it’s possible that they may need to be replaced at some point, with proper care, you should be able to enjoy your results for decades to come.
While there are certainly a number of advantages to choosing dental veneers, these qualities may or may not be specifically beneficial to you. At The Smile Centre, our ultimate goal is always to approach your treatment needs in an individualized manner. We work to find solutions that meet your unique goals, expectations, timelines and condition. During your private consultation, one of our highly-trained dentists will determine if veneers are right for you and explain all of your treatment options so that you can make an informed decision about your own dental care.
What is the Porcelain Veneers Process?
Porcelain veneers are placed over three visits to our Sarasota office.
Your first visit is your consultation, where we will assess your teeth and gums, discuss your treatment options, and help you choose if veneers are the best choice. If they are, we will prepare your teeth, take a mold of your smile, and place temporary veneers during your second visit. Once your personalized dental veneers have been crafted to our exact specifications, you will return for a third visit to have them placed.
The process can take three to four weeks to complete.
How Long do Porcelain Veneers Last?
Porcelain veneers can last for ten or more years with proper care. The key is taking care of them. Please see our care instructions and suggestions on this page to learn how you can protect your veneers from damage.
Are There Good Alternatives to Dental Veneers?
Porcelain veneers are incredibly versatile and can treat a wide range of issues. While no other cosmetic option can match veneers in quality, appearance, or longevity, some address similar concerns. For example, tooth whitening can address stains, while dental bonding can cover chips and cracks or improve tooth shape and size.
During your initial consultation, we will carefully evaluate your smile and discuss all possible treatments to help ensure you are making the best decision for your needs.
Does Insurance Pay for Porcelain Veneers?
Porcelain veneers are a cosmetic treatment and are not covered by insurance. However, we work with several dental care financing companies, including CareCredit® and LendingClub, to help make cosmetic treatments more accessible. If you want additional information about financing your procedure, please visit their websites or ask about them during your initial consultation.
What is “Instant Orthodontics?”
Porcelain veneers are sometimes called instant orthodontics due to their ability to address cosmetic malocclusions, such as gaps and spaces, crooked tooth presentation, and uneven tooth shapes and sizes. However, “instant” is only compared to traditional orthodontics, which can take up to 36 months for adults. Compared to orthodontic treatment, dental veneers offer exceptionally fast outcomes.
However, porcelain veneers are not a good alternative to orthodontic treatment for patients with moderate to severe malocclusion. Veneers don’t fix the bite, they cover its imperfections. Proper correction of bite issues requires more involved treatment.
What Is Recovery Like After Receiving Your Veneers?
While porcelain veneers don’t require down time, there is an adjustment period of about 2-3 weeks. During this time, you may experience changes in chewing sensation, bite alignment, and tooth sensitivity. However, after about 3 weeks, you will hardly notice your porcelain veneers and should be fully adjusted to their placement.
When Can I Eat Again After I Receive My Veneers?
Once the adhesive has set, you can resume both eating and drinking.
How Do I Continue to Care for My Veneers After the Procedure?
After getting your porcelain veneers, it’s important to have good dental hygiene to maintain your results. This includes brushing and flossing your teeth at least twice daily. In addition, you should also:
- Choose a less abrasive toothpaste. Porcelain veneers can be damaged by abrasive substances, so try to use a less gritty toothpaste when brushing your teeth.
- Stop smoking if applicable. Tobacco is not only damaging to the teeth, but can also cause severe discoloration. To protect the results of your veneers, it is best to quit smoking. With proper oral care and frequent follow ups with your dentist, your porcelain veneers can last up to 10 years or more.
How Do You Maintain and Care For Porcelain Veneers?
Caring for porcelain veneers is similar to caring for your natural teeth. You will want to brush your teeth with a soft-bristle toothbrush and non-abrasive toothpaste after every meal and snack. Avoiding abrasive toothpaste will help prevent you from scratching your veneers while frequent brushing will help prevent cavities from forming underneath. It is also a good idea to visit our office every six months for professional cleanings and examinations, allowing us to assess the strength of your veneers with some regularity.
People with veneers should avoid biting on ice, hard candy, and non-food items like pens. Tough meat may pose a problem for some people with veneers as well. And while porcelain is stain resistant, it cannot be whitened once it has become discolored. It is a good idea to limit your intake of staining foods such as tomatoes and dark sauces, as well as drinks like soda, coffee, tea, and wine that can hasten discoloration.
Are Porcelain Veneers Bad for My Oral Health?
Porcelain veneers are not bad for oral health. Some minor tooth preparation will be needed to place veneers, but this should not impact tooth structure, function, or strength. When cared for properly, veneers will serve to enhance your smile without posing any oral health risks.
Will Dental Veneers Risk My Chances of Getting Cavities?
Dental veneers neither increase nor decrease your risk of cavities. The care you take of your teeth – restorations and all – plays the biggest role in the development of tooth decay.
Brushing after every meal, flossing at least once daily, and visiting our office for routine cleanings and examinations remain the most effective tools against tooth decay and other oral health issues.
Are There Any Risks or Downsides to Dental Veneers?
To place dental veneers, a small amount of natural tooth enamel must first be removed. This makes dental veneers irreversible. Veneers can also chip or crack, come loose or fall off, and may increase the risk of tooth sensitivity, though these things are less likely if you take proper care of your restorations.
By and large, there are very few risks associated with porcelain veneers, but that doesn’t mean they are the best fit for everyone. During your initial consultation, we will evaluate your smile, answer any questions you have, and help you decide if dental veneers are the right solution for your needs.
Schedule Your Veneers Consultation Today
To learn more about porcelain veneers and your candidacy for the procedure, contact us today by completing the form on this page or calling to schedule a free consultation. If you live in the Sarasota area of Florida, contact our Palm Aire location online or at 941-351-4468. If you live in or around Florida, please contact us online. The Smile Centre proudly serves the Sarasota, and Bradenton area of Florida.