Cosmetic dentistry

Dental Veneers

Give yourself a smile-lift!

Dental veneers are like a face-lift for your teeth. They can close gaps, make different length teeth line up straight and turn stained and flat-out discolored teeth pearly white. If your teeth are basically healthy, but don’t look the way you want them to, veneers may be the answer.

What are dental veneers?

Veneers are custom-crafted covers for your teeth made of porcelain or a synthetic material (like Lumineers®). Veneers are permanently cemented to your teeth, but they don’t require reshaping your teeth like crowns do.

Getting dental veneers — What to expect

Start by talking to your dentist

Tell her what you want to change about your teeth and your smile. That way she can advise you on all your options and the best materials.

Find out if you’re a good candidate

Your dentist will do a thorough examination and take X-Rays to make sure your teeth are healthy and sound. Any problems, like cavities or an infected tooth, need to be fixed before you can get veneers.

Get a little chair time

Once you’re cleared for veneers, your dentist will remove a thin layer of enamel the thickness of your veneers—about 1/2 of a millimeter—from the surface of the teeth you are covering. Then, she’ll take and impression of your mouth and send it to one of our labs, where technicians will craft custom veneers just for you.

Time to fit and bond

Your dentist will hand-size each veneer so that it matches your gum line and creates the correct spacing and alignment. Once the veneers are trimmed, your dentist will etch your teeth and the veneers with a mild acid that roughens them up so they bond better. Finally, she’ll cement them in place.

Making veneers last (and last)

Veneers should look fabulous for 10-15 years, if you take good care of them. Here are some do’s and don’ts that will help you get the most out of your veneers.

• Don’t drink stainy-stuff. Coffee, red wine, soda, tea can all stain those shiny new teeth
• Don’t use your teeth like a crow bar. No gnawing on packages or pens. And definitely no bottle opening!

• Do deal with tooth grinding. If you tend clench and gnaw, talk to your dentist about a bite guard. It can protect your teeth, especially when you’re sleep-grinding.
• Do wear a mouth guard if you play sports. One bad hit in soccer can take out a veneer. Boxing—you might find a new sport.
• Do take care of your teeth. Brush, floss and see us twice a year for a cleaning and check-up.

Chipped tooth? Bond it!

Chips bite, especially when they’re on a front tooth. If the rest of your tooth is healthy, we make it look good as new by rebuilding the missing tooth with a durable, plastic resin. The process is called bonding, and here’s how it works.

First we match the color of your tooth

Your dentist will create a custom shade that matches the rest of your tooth so the repair blends in.

We prep your tooth

We rough the surface of your tooth, just a little. You won’t even need to be numbed.

We patch your tooth

The resin is like putty or Play-Doh. Your dentist shapes the resin until it's almost perfect.

We harden the patch

The resin reacts to UV light. A few seconds under a special lamp and it’s as hard as your teeth.

We adjust fine details

Your dentist will use a drill to make grooves and textures in the patch so it blends in.

A quick polish and you’re done!

The last step in bonding is polishing. Your dentist uses a compound to buff and shine the patch until it has the same sheen as your tooth.

Thirty minutes after you start, you’ve got your smile back

Bonding is quick, painless and very affordable. For minor chips, it’s often the best choice.

Taking care of a bonded tooth

In general, you just need to brush, floss and see your dentist like normal. Bonding resin isn’t as strong as a natural tooth, so avoid chewing on pen caps, biting your nails or crushing ice with your repaired tooth.