Cosmetic dentistry offers patients a number of restorative solutions to improve the look of their teeth. There has long been a demand for aesthetic specialization in the field of dentistry because a person’s smile has a huge impact on their overall appearance. Though many individual options exist, dental medicine has only recently advanced to provide patients with a comprehensive solution. Now, dental veneers serve as an all-in-one solution that addresses a multitude of cosmetic issues.
- What are Dental Veneers?
- What are Porcelain Veneers?
- Porcelain Veneers Candidates
- Benefits of Porcelain Veneers
- The Advantages of Dental Veneers
- The Porcelain Veneer Process
- Reasons your veneers need replacing
- Dental veneers expectations
- Dental Veneers Procedure Recovery and Post-Procedure Care
- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT DENTAL VEENEERS
What are Dental Veneers?
Composed of high-quality, durable porcelain, dental veneers are thin, tooth-shaped shells or laminates that are bonded to the front of existing teeth to enhance a patient’s smile and offer long-lasting correction for aesthetic flaws. The veneers are thin, with the approximate thickness of a contact lens, and do not add visible bulkiness because the natural teeth are buffed to remove a small portion of the enamel and create a natural appearance.
Dr. Gaertner will help patients customize their veneer procedure in Kendall, down to picking the color of the new teeth. Veneers can be performed as partial or full additions, and patients can choose to alter a single tooth or all of their visible teeth surfaces. Generally, costs are based on the number of teeth receiving veneers.
What are Porcelain Veneers?
Porcelain veneers are thin layers of porcelain (a ceramic material) that cover the front surface of teeth. They’re used to improve the appearance of teeth and create a more attractive smile. They’re typically bonded to the front surfaces of teeth, making them permanent. However, they can be removed when necessary, such as after tooth decay or gum recession.
There are two types of porcelain veneers: laminate veneers and direct composite veneers. Laminate veneers are made of several different materials, including plastic, metal, and ceramics. Direct composite veneers are made entirely out of porcelain.
Laminate veneers are usually applied to the front surfaces of upper teeth, whereas direct composite veneers are often placed on lower teeth. Both types of veneers require professional application and removal.
Porcelain Veneers Candidates
To be considered a candidate for porcelain veneers, you must meet certain criteria. These include having healthy gums, no decay, and a minimum number of teeth (usually four) that require repair. Prospective patients of veneer application with our cosmetic dentist in Kendall must have their unique case evaluated through a dental exam, X-rays, photographs, and any other steps the dentist feels are necessary. Generally, cosmetic dentists will collect an impression of the teeth to submit to the veneer laboratory as well as a bite registration to ensure the corrections maintain or improve the bite. Dr. Gaertner will determine if the teeth are structurally sound and healthy enough to undergo the process. Most people are candidates for the procedure.
Benefits of Porcelain Veneers
Enhancements to the overall look of your mouth don’t need to involve invasive procedures or tooth replacements. Veneer enhancements can help you achieve dramatic improvements to your overall look and boost your self-esteem. Some of the potential advantages of porcelain veneers include:
- Improvements in the look of chips, spaces, or gaps between the teeth
- Improvements in the appearance of deep stains and discolorations
- Improve tooth alignment
- Better maintenance of the mouth and dental health
Furthermore, they can be used together with other treatments, including tooth whitening or dental crowning, for a more dramatic improvement. This procedure is also often included in a complete Smile Makeover. We’re dedicated to providing you with the highest level of service and the most satisfying outcomes, which is why choosing us means having access to our top-notch staff and state-of-the-art equipment.
The Advantages of Dental Veneers
Dr. Gaertner can provide patients in Miami, FL with a smile transformation by restoring the damaged or less-uniform parts of the teeth with cosmetic dentistry techniques. Veneers can address most imperfections of the teeth by providing a minimally-invasive treatment on an outpatient basis. Veneers can offer a single solution to a variety of cosmetic issues.
Dental Veneers are Stain Resistant
While natural teeth stain over time due to certain foods and beverages or lifestyle choices like smoking, porcelain veneers maintain their color indefinitely. Patients can enjoy a brighter smile for the duration of the life of the laminates. This saves patients from costly bleaching treatments, special whitening toothpaste, and the sensitivity that occurs from these whitening solutions.
Dental Veneers are Long-Lasting
Porcelain veneers are expected to last on the teeth for 15 years or longer and often surpass the life of necessary dental work like crowns and fillings. While other people’s teeth will face wear and tear over time, porcelain veneers maintain their appearance. Unlike natural teeth, porcelain veneers will not age with time.
Dental Veneers treat numerous Cosmetic Issues
Once dental veneers were developed, cosmetic dentistry took a huge step forward. Many different aesthetic issues can be corrected with veneers and cosmetic dentists can now offer patients better results than ever before. Here are some of the ways veneers can improve the look of the teeth:
- Reduce gaps
- Correct misaligned or crooked teeth
- Repair chips, fractures, and improve overall shape and size
- Brighten and whiten tooth color with stain-resistant porcelain
Dental Veneers are a Non-Surgical Procedure
Some tooth restorations, like dental implants, require dental surgery, while porcelain veneers offer surface corrections without surgery. There is no extensive downtime or recovery period, and patients will notice an immediate improvement and a beautiful smile after their placement appointment. Porcelain veneers also bypass many of the risks of dental surgery.
No maintenance is required for Dental Veneers
One of the greatest advantages of having veneers fixed to the teeth is that patients do not need to follow special care instructions to keep their teeth looking great. Patients should maintain good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing twice daily and scheduling semi-annual check-ups for their veneers in the Kendall office of Dr. Gaertner.
The Porcelain Veneer Process
In order to have their veneers created, Bliss Dental patients must visit the Kendall area office to provide an impression of their teeth. The teeth may be cleaned or polished beforehand to ensure that the surfaces of the teeth are properly cast, without any debris like food affecting the casting. The patient’s impressions are submitted to a dental laboratory where a team will work to create the porcelain shells, which can take a week or longer. The veneers will be created to fit over the chosen teeth with some extra material for shaping.
The next step is for the patient to undergo the tooth preparation process to remove some of the enamel, or outer covering of the tooth. Some patients may require local anesthesia for this step. Removing some of the enamel ensures a more natural appearance of the tooth, allowing the veneer to be situated flat on the structure and align properly with the gum tissue. The material removed is typically equivalent to the thickness of the veneer, so there is no significant difference in the thickness of the tooth following treatment with newer laminates.
Once Dr. Gaertner completes the tooth preparation process, he can apply temporary veneers to the teeth with removable glue. The bond is significantly weaker than with the glue used during permanent bonding, and patients must take care when brushing their teeth. It will be recommended that they avoid certain foods until the permanent veneers are placed. By wearing these temporary enhancements, patients can determine what their aesthetic preferences are, while still enjoying an improvement to their smile.
When the permanent veneers are ready for placement, patients will schedule a second appointment at Bliss Dental to undergo the procedure. The temporary veneers are removed and the new veneers are fitted over each tooth to ensure an ideal fit. Dr. Gaertner can begin the process by using water-based glue so patients can test out the newly created porcelain shells. He will make adjustments guided by patient preferences and his own experience as a cosmetic dentist. The teeth are then cleaned and each dental veneer will be fixed into place over the corresponding tooth.
The results are instant, and patients will leave the Bliss Dental office with a renewed, beautiful smile. Dr. Gaertner will ensure the patient can properly floss, and that all glue and dental debris are cleared from the teeth.
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- Joe Diedrich
Reasons your veneers need replacing
If a veneering composite is too loose, it can let germs and particles get into the space between the veneering composite and your natural tooth. If left untreated, this can lead to serious dental issues.
The veneer has been scratched or damaged
Porcelain veneers are extremely durable, but can still crack if damaged by an accident or injury. If this occurs, it needs to be repaired so that your other natural tooth enamel doesn’t get damaged.
Decay occurs naturally in teeth
You may be able to hide some of the problem by covering the front part of your tooth, but there will always be a small gap between the veneer and the natural tooth. If decay or buildup occurs around the gum line, the underlying natural tooth will need repair, and the veneer will eventually need replacing.
Tooth staining of neighboring teeth
While veneers are made so that you can keep your white, alluring smiles, neighboring teeth might not be as lucky. Over time, they can get stained, making a noticeable difference. In order to fix this problem, the veneers would need to be replaced to make them match again.
Dental veneers expectations
The dental veneer treatment can usually be done in two appointments over the span of six weeks. The appointments are comprehensive and may take several days to complete. Dental clinics typically feature amenities that may include sedatives and audio/visual distractions, and dental spas even provide massage and other relaxation techniques to help you feel at ease.
The diagnostic and exam phases are vital and identify any oral health issues that must first be dealt with before veneering.
Your dentist will also work with you to choose the best tooth color for you from a special color guide. Digital imaging technology can provide you with a sneak peek of your expected outcomes, and before and after photos can show you other successful cases. Veneers begin once the diagnosis is complete and the custom design is ready.
Dental Veneers Procedure Recovery and Post-Procedure Care
Regular visits to the dentist are essential for keeping your teeth healthy and preventing tooth decay.
Aftercare is extremely important. If your chipped or fractured porcelains are not properly cared for, they may need to be replaced. Your dentist will inform you of the cost and additional time required to replace them.
If you want to minimize the risk of damaging your gums, don’t eat hard foods such as nuts or bones, and don’t use your mouth to rip or tear packaging. You might be advised by your dental hygienist not to consume certain foods because they could damage your teeth.
After your veneer appointment, brush and floss your teeth just as you normally would, but be sure to use a gentle toothbrush and toothpaste. The chance of staining them with foods or drinks after the procedure has been completed is greatly reduced. However, if you’ve had any alcohol, caffeine, or sugary beverages within an hour before your appointment, then you may want to avoid brushing for at least two hours after the procedure.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT DENTAL VEENEERS
Elective procedures are designed with comfort in mind because they are not generally performed out of necessity, but rather to reach a patient’s aesthetic goals. During the preparation process when the enamel is removed from the teeth, patients may opt to receive local anesthesia to control any discomfort, or they can elect sedation dentistry techniques.
A consultation with a cosmetic dentist will give you an estimate of the total price of the treatment. You may be able to save some money by choosing just one or two veneer treatments instead of a full mouth restoration. If you decide to go ahead with the procedure, you’ll probably need to wear temporary veneers until they’re ready to come off.
Dental veneering costs vary widely depending on the material used for the restoration. Porcelains are the most expensive, composite veneer options are less expensive than porcelains, and gold veneer options are even cheaper than composite veneer options. However, these differences in price don’t necessarily translate into better quality.
Dr. Gaertner can use various photographs for inspiration, but an individual’s anatomy will guide the placement of the porcelain dental laminates. By reviewing the patient’s existing teeth, examining his or her facial features, and learning about what look of the teeth they find attractive, Dr. Gaertner can shape the teeth to the desired size and shape. Veneers can give almost anyone a beautiful smile.
Yes. Veneers are thin these days, but older versions were much thicker and bulkier and many patients are anxious to have them replaced. Dr. Gaertner will remove the original set of veneers to create an updated smile for the patient. Once the patient’s natural teeth are visible once again, the doctor will take an impression to send to the laboratory. Temporary veneers can be placed until the permanent veneers arrive at Bliss Dental. In some cases, the dentist may ask if patients have pictures of the way their teeth looked prior to the first procedure, in the event that dental records are not available.
Many people who undergo cosmetic dental procedures want to improve the look of their teeth but wish to avoid artificial-looking changes. Dr. Gaertner will ensure that the veneers maintain some of the characteristics of natural teeth, which are not perfectly shaped. There are some details in the teeth that can be created in the veneers. This includes slight color variation, minor differences in the ends of the teeth, and the way they fit into the gumline. Additionally, because some enamel is removed from the natural teeth to prevent a bulky look, and because veneers are shaped from impressions of the patient’s own teeth, laminates tend to look very realistic.
Patients may opt to have part of a tooth fixed with a partial laminate, or the entire tooth can be altered through a full veneer placement. Additionally, patients may choose to have only some of the visible teeth repaired through this treatment option if desired. Because it can be difficult to color-match natural teeth and veneers, and because natural teeth will change color over time whereas laminates will not, this option should be carefully considered.
If you live near Kendall, FL, Bliss Dental offers porcelain veneers among its services, and is conveniently located at 8501 SW 124th Ave Ste 104 Kendall, FL 33183
While the porcelain itself is resistant to bacterial formation, the remainder of the tooth remains susceptible to damage and decay. Patients should continue to practice good oral hygiene to avoid dental issues.
While individual policies and companies vary, most see veneers as cosmetic enhancement and not a necessary procedure and will not cover the cost of their placement.
Composite bonding is the tooth-colored material used to fill cavities or correct small imperfections in the teeth. For small chips or minor wear of the teeth, composite bonding may be an ideal solution. It can be performed in the office without much preparation, and the material is readily available. Porcelain is a much stronger material and is often reserved for more extensive corrections. A patient may be a better candidate for veneers over bonding if they dislike the overall look of their teeth or want to improve large parts of the tooth or teeth.
Why Choose Dr. Gaertner of Bliss Dental
As the son of a dentist, Dr. Gaertner’s passion for dentistry began at an early age. Following high school, Dr. Gaertner attended Nova Southeastern University in Florida where he earned his Bachelor’s of Science in Biology, then graduated with his Doctorate of Dental Medicine (D.M.D) degree. Dr. Gaertner has practiced dentistry in both the United States and his home country of Belgium and now calls the Miami area home.
He practices a variety of dentistry, including Cosmetic Dentistry, Smile Makeovers, Dental Crowns, Porcelain Veneers, Root Canal Treatments, Invisalign, and so on. Dr. Gaertner has also integrated the use of Dental Lasers and Botox injections into his state-of-the-art dental practice.
Bliss Dental is a full-service facility, offering top-notch patient care and providing services that range from routine dental care to endodontics to cosmetic and restorative dentistry services that enhance patients’ smiles.
Dr. Gaertner’s South Florida dental clinic, Bliss Dental can be reached via phone (305) 274-6500, or email through the Bliss Dental Contact Form. Contact our Miami, FL dental office to learn more about dental veneers and schedule the smile makeover you deserve.
Helpful Related Links
- American Dental Association (ADA). Glossary of Dental Terms. 2015
- American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry® (AACD). Home Page. 2015
- WebMD. WebMD’s Oral Care Guide. 2015
