Dental Veneers – Maple Ridge BC
Unsatisfied with how your teeth look? Teeth that are chipped, stained or misshapen can take away from an otherwise beautiful smile. Veneers can rejuvenate your lackluster teeth and transform your smile.
Porcelain Veneers Overview
Veneers are an alternative to crowns and can mask stains, hide chips, correct misalignment and create uniformity. This particular cosmetic procedure can be effective for patients with internal tooth staining that does not respond to traditional teeth whitening techniques. Veneers can also reshape the smile without the need for braces or soft-tissue shaping. Veneers are made of thin, customized material designed to slide over the teeth, look natural, are long-lasting and are relatively easy to apply.
Veneers are the most conservative restorations we offer. They consist of a thin strip of porcelain that covers the front side of a tooth. We use porcelain because we can change the color to closely match your natural teeth. Unlike crowns, which cover the entirety of a tooth, veneers require less enamel removal, so most of your original tooth structure stays intact. Rather than replacing your whole tooth, a veneer gives your tooth a “new face.” Because they are minimally invasive, dental veneers are essential tools of cosmetic dentistry.
Dental Veneers Appointment Overview
First Appointment
Getting a veneer requires at least two appointments. At the first appointment, the dentist prepares your tooth so a veneer can be placed. A couple weeks later, they will permanently attach the veneer to your tooth.
A dental veneer procedure begins with the dentist removing a very small amount of your front tooth enamel (usually less than one millimeter). Depending on how much enamel needs to be removed, this process may not require local anesthesia. Veneers bond more easily with the outer tooth structure than the inner tooth structure, so the dentist wants to remove as little as possible. They use a rotating device known as a dental bur to gently shave down some of the tooth’s surface.
After the tooth is shaved down, we need to take an impression (or mold) of your teeth. We send this impression to a lab so they can make a veneer that comfortably fits your smile. To expose more of your tooth for the impression, the dentist uses a small retraction cord to move the gums away from it. This is temporary; your gum line returns to its original position once the impression is complete. The final step is to bite into a tray filled with paste to a make a mold of your teeth. This takes a few minutes to set, so be patient!
When the mold is ready, we make any final adjustments and send it to a dental lab. It takes a couple weeks to receive your permanent veneer from the lab. In the meantime, you may receive a temporary veneer to cover the prepared tooth. This is not necessary in all cases. Temporaries are only needed if the dentist must remove a large amount of enamel, which can make your tooth more sensitive or prone to damage.
Last Appointment
At your last appointment, we attach your personalized veneer. The dentist may need to make adjustments so the veneer looks good and feels right. If you have any concerns about the look and feel of your smile at this stage in the process, please feel free to tell us! We want to make sure you are satisfied with the result.
Once any last-minute trimming and refitting is finished, the dentist coats your tooth with bonding cement and attaches the veneer to your tooth. Then they use a special blue light to harden the cement and secure the veneer. After one final check to make sure the fit is still snug and comfy, you’re good to go!
Aftercare
You will be given special instructions on how to care for your veneer, including a list of foods to avoid. You may also need a night guard if your grind your teeth at night. Carefully following any directions or warnings will ensure the longest lifespan for your veneer, which can last over ten years.