Getting porcelain veneers seems like a highly involved process. But, in reality, it only takes two or three appointments. If you’re wondering what it’s like to get porcelain veneers, read on to find out.
• Consultation and exam. Before we consider any type of cosmetic treatment, we first will want to make sure your teeth are healthy and free of decay. During the consultation, we will examine your teeth and ask you about what you would like to achieve with your smile. We will then make recommendations to determine which type of treatment we believe might work best for you. In some cases, patients may be better treated with a combination of teeth whitening and orthodontics.
• Select a style. You probably haven’t thought of this yet, but teeth actually have styles. During this stage we will recommend veneer styles that will best complement your facial appearance and age.
• Whitening? If you only have one or several veneers placed, we recommend undergoing teeth whitening before you start the process. We recommend whitening since your natural teeth can be whitened, but your veneers cannot be. So, to get the most out of your smile, we recommend starting teeth whitening two weeks to a month prior to the placement of your veneers.
• Prepping the teeth. Before we can add veneers to your teeth, they must first be shaved down by about two millimeters to compensate for the added thickness of the veneers and to prepare the surface for the veneers to be cemented. This process isn’t painful, but it is slightly uncomfortable, so a local anesthetic is usually applied prior to the start of the procedure.
• Taking impressions. Now that your teeth are prepped, the next step is to take impressions. These impressions are used to craft your temporary veneers and then are sent off to a dental fabrication lab that will craft your final veneers. Impressions can either be taken with a traditional alginate mold or with an intraoral scanner.
• Temporary veneers. After your teeth have been prepped and impressions have been taken, we will then apply bonded temporary veneers. These will give you an approximation of how your final veneers will appear. But, mainly temporary veneers are applied to reduce tooth sensitivity and to give you a good-looking smile until your final veneers are ready from the laboratory.
• New smile day! After about two weeks your porcelain veneers will arrive from the dental laboratory. At this time, we will call you in for a follow-up appointment. During this appointment, we will remove your temporary veneers, clean and polish the teeth, and then perform a try-on with your veneers. If you approve of how they look and feel, these will then be cemented into place. The next step? Show off your new smile with the world!
