Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain Veneers in Hollywood, Florida

Cover Up Your Oral Insecurities with State-of-the-Art Porcelain Veneers

Tooth damage to a certain degree can only be covered. One of such method is with porcelain veneers. To find out if you’re a good candidate for a veneer, here are some things that you should know.

The Composition of a Veneer

A porcelain veneer or laminate as it is named, is made of porcelain material. These look like very thin shells which are colored to match the teeth of the patient. Because of its material, veneers are very durable and safe for oral health, but also vulnerable to breakage if not used properly. That’s why when assessing patients who want to get veneers, bruxism or teeth grinding is a red flag as well as frequent ingestion of hard foods such as ice cubes, hard candies, and even non-food nibbling habits like nail biting and chewing on pens, pencils, etc.

What does a Veneer Fix?

A porcelain veneer is not a treatment process, but rather a cover-up for a damaged tooth. The different conditions that will fit well with porcelain veneers are:

• Chipped tooth
• Discolored teeth
• Teeth that have had root canal treatment
• Stained teeth
• A tooth that is not the same shape as the other teeth
• Awkward-looking teeth (bent, crooked, bulging, etc.)
• Smaller teeth that have gaps between other normal-sized teeth

Installation of Porcelain Veneers

Before a porcelain veneer can be attached to a tooth, there are a lot of clinical procedures that need to be done, and these may require several visits to our clinic. Here is a plan of action when undergoing porcelain veneer treatment.

1. Initial Assessment. A visit to our clinic will be required for Dr. Gordon to assess your current dental condition. This involves the overall check up of your teeth and gums to determine if it’s safe for you to get a veneer. Patients who have gum disease or a history of damaged/unhealthy teeth may be rejected for the procedure.
2. Identification of tooth/teeth for veneer installation. Dr. Gordon will check every individual tooth to see which ones are really good candidate for rehabilitation with a veneer.
3. Preparation of teeth. Once the teeth which require veneers are identified, the patient will undergo clinical procedures to prepare the teeth for the veneers. Since veneers are placed onto the tooth like a cover, the surface of the tooth needs to be trimmed and polished first. This will allow the veneers to snugly stay in place and not stick out above the surface of the tooth. The polishing process creates a rough surface which will make adherence easier for the veneer once the cement is applied. The trimming and polishing process requires an in-office procedure under local anesthetic.
4. Fitting of veneers. In order to fit the patient, our dental team needs to individually fit each veneer onto the tooth that it will be installed on. Initially, an impression of each tooth will be taken by the dental team and sent off to the lab for construction. Once the veneers have been created based on the model of the patient’s teeth, the dental team will now fit it onto the actual patient. The veneers are placed temporarily on top of the tooth to get the correct shape and size that will make it a comfortable fit. The veneers can also be adjusted in color to match the patient’s teeth.
5. Permanent cement application. After the veneers have been perfectly trimmed down to fit the patient’s tooth, a specially formulated dental cement will be applied underneath it. Then it will be carefully placed on top of the tooth. The dentist will use a special light to cure the cement and allow it to dry very quickly. After a few minutes, the veneer should be bonded to the tooth and undetachable.
6. Final check and follow-up. Once the veneers are all cemented into place, the dentist will observe the occlusion or bite of the patient. The comfort of the bite as well as the appearance of the veneer will also be evaluated and adjusted as necessary. The dental team will provide a home care guide for the patient to preserve and maintain the veneer as well as overall dental health. Follow-ups may be necessary to see how the patient adapts to the newly installed porcelain veneers.

Considerations when Getting Porcelain Veneers

Since porcelain veneers are quite costly, it is important that you consider the following before getting one:

1. Porcelain veneers cannot be removed and/or re-installed. Once they are cemented on your tooth, they are attached permanently for 5-10 years. Only after the this period can you get a replacement.
2. In case of damage, porcelain veneers cannot be replaced. In the unusual event that the veneer gets chipped or broken, it cannot be replaced for free. You will have to undergo another veneer procedure if you would like to have it fixed.
3. The color of the veneer is permanent. If the color of the veneer does not match your teeth, it cannot be replaced by a more appropriate color, neither can it be colored. Teeth whitening treatment does not work on veneers because these are only artificial materials and do not benefit from oral solutions.
4. The tooth underneath the veneer can become more sensitive. Since your tooth needs to be trimmed down and polished for the veneer to fit in place, the enamel will be much thinner and your tooth can be more sensitive towards hot or cold foods.

Cost of Porcelain Veneers

The downside to getting porcelain veneers is that insurance does not usually cover it. However, our clinic considers our patients best interests and you may discuss any pricing concerns with our staff to get a good idea on how to cover the expenses.

In deciding whether to get porcelain veneers, you should always seek professional recommendation. Dr. Karen Gordon and our dental team will be happy to give you a consultation to see if any of your teeth will require porcelain veneers. Give us a call at (954) 983-9004 and find out the best solution for your dental problems.