| A porcelain veneer is very thin piece of porcelain similar in thickness to a fingernail that attaches to the front of the tooth to improve overall appearance. Once in place, it looks, feels, and functions just like a regular tooth. Porcelain veneers can be used to change the shape and esthetics of the front surface of the teeth. They can also be used to lighten the tooth. When a tooth is not a similar to the remaining teeth in shade, veneers can correct this problem. |  |
In just two or three dental visits, a veneer can reverse years of stains caused by foods, caffeine and tobacco use.
Special thin laminates, called veneers, can often be used to correct discolored, worn down, cracked and chipped teeth. Veneers can also be used to close unsightly gaps between teeth. Stronger types of veneers made f porcelain, also called composite veneers, typically last olonger because they are bonded to the tooth.
An impression of the tooth must be made and a veneer molded by a lab technician. Because veneers require a small amount of enamel to be removed, they are permanent and non-reversible.
The process involves buffing the tooth, removing an extremely thin layer of the tooth to allow for the thickness of the veneer, an impression of the tooth, and final bonding of the veneer to the tooth with special cement. A special light is used to complete the process.