For years, you’ve seen your grin in the mirror and in photographs and wished it was different. The shape, the color, the overall appearance of your front teeth – there are so many changes you want to make that you don’t know where to start. Luckily, your cosmetic dentist can offer a solution that many a Hollywood celebrity has used in the past to create dazzling smiles: porcelain veneers. Read on to learn everything you need to know about these beautiful restorations.
What are Porcelain Veneers?
In dentistry, a veneer is a thin layer of material that has been connected to the surface of your teeth to hide cracks and other cosmetic flaws. While some veneers are made out of a composite resin, most dentists will use porcelain instead. That’s because porcelain can very closely mimic the color of natural teeth, but compared to composite resin it’s much more durable and can resist stains better.
What are Porcelain Veneers Used For?
One of the biggest advantages of porcelain veneers is that there are so many different situations where they can be used. Do you have a stain that won’t go away even after professional whitening? Are your front teeth chipped, worn down, or broken? Is your smile somewhat crooked or misshapen and filled with small gaps? Veneers can be used to address all of these cosmetic issues at once, making them an excellent choice when you need to make extensive improvements.
Are There Different Kinds of Porcelain Veneers?
There are two major kinds of veneers you can choose from: traditional and prep-less. Keep in mind that your decision should be based on the design of your teeth and not just on personal preference. Here’s what you need to know about the different types of veneers:
- Traditional Veneers: The traditional approach for applying veneers is similar to how a dentist will place a dental crown. A small amount of enamel is removed, and the tooth is shaped to make room for the veneer. If these preparations aren’t made, your tooth mind end up looking bulky and unnatural.
- Prep-Less Veneers: Compared to traditional veneers, prep-less veneers are much thinner and requires little to no enamel removal. Obviously, this is the best choice for preserving your natural teeth; that said, these restorations can normally only be used in specific situations, such as when there’s a gap between your teeth or if the tooth being treated is already significantly smaller than its neighbors.
Do porcelain veneers sound like the cosmetic treatment you’ve been looking for, or do you still have concerns? Make an appointment with your dentist to talk about the procedure so that you can decide whether it’s right for you. If it is, look forward to having a flawless new smile to show off!
About the Practice
At Advanced Smile Design, we make caring for your teeth convenient by providing every dental procedure you might need under one roof. We can help patients suffering from stained or damaged smiles drastically improve their appearance with traditional and prep-less porcelain veneers. To schedule an appointment at our office in Willow Grove, visit our website or call (215) 659-3334.
