Porcelain Laminate VeneersPorcelain Laminate Veneers are probably the most esthetic means of creating a more pleasing and beautiful smile. They require a minimal amount of tooth reduction ( approximately .5 mm ) and are, therefore, a more conservative restoration than a crown. Porcelain veneers allow us to alter tooth position, shape, size and color. They are not the only alternative for all esthetic abnormalities but are truly a remarkable restoration when they are the treatment of choice.
Crowns: When a tooth is cracked, decayed, or damaged, a crown may need to be fitted onto the tooth. A crown is a permanent covering that fits over the original tooth.
Wikipedia: In family dentistry, a veneer is a thin layer of restorative material placed over a tooth surface, either to improve the aesthetics of a tooth, or to protect a damaged tooth surface. There are two main types of material used to fabricate a veneer, composite and porcelain. A composite veneer may be directly placed (built-up in the mouth), or indirectly fabricated by a dental technician in a dental laboratory, and later bonded to the tooth, typically using a resin cement such as Panavia. In contrast, a porcelain veneer may only be indirectly fabricated.
Veneers are an important tool for cosmetic and family dentistry. A family dentist may use one veneer to restore a single tooth that may have been fractured or discolored, or multiple teeth to create a "Hollywood" type of makeover. Many people have small teeth resulting in spaces that may not be easily closed by orthodontics. Some people have worn away the edges of their teeth resulting in a prematurely aged appearance, while others may have mal-positioned teeth that appear crooked. Multiple veneers can close these spaces, lengthen teeth that have been shortened by wear, provide a uniform color, shape, and symmetry, and make the teeth appear straight.
Steps a family dentist takes when making a porcelain veneer for a tooth? The steps outlined below are those that are usually needed when a porcelain veneer (porcelain laminate) is made for a tooth. Although we only describe and illustrate one tooth being veneered, many teeth can undergo the tooth veneering process simultaneously, as a group.
In most cases two dental appointments will be required for the tooth veneering process. Usually the time span lying between these two visits will be one to two weeks.
Trimming a tooth for a porcelain veneer: Preparing a tooth's surface for a porcelain veneer. When a tooth is prepared to receive a porcelain veneer, the enamel on the front side of the tooth (the side where the porcelain veneer will be bonded) must be trimmed back. In most cases the dentist's goal will be to trim the tooth's surface about the same amount as the thickness of the veneer that will ultimately be bonded into place. This way the overall size of the tooth will not be changed dramatically.
Usually the amount of tooth enamel that the dentist will shave off is on the order of .5 to .7 millimeters. This amount is similar to that of the thickness of a chicken egg's shell. And when compared to most other dental procedures this is a very small amount. Before this trimming is begun, you and your family dentist will decide if your tooth should be numbed with a local anesthetic ("novocaine").
Making an impression of a trimmed tooth: Once the proper amount of enamel has been trimmed, your family dentist will need to make a copy of your tooth (take an impression). Your porcelain veneer will then be fabricated using this impression. There are two scenarios by which this impression taking process can occur:
Rigby Dental will make an impression of your tooth or teeth using impression putty, to create a dental mold. This copy defines the exact shape or your tooth so we may manufacture your porcelain veneer with a near perfect fit. Depending on the dental laboratory, fabricating a porcelain veneer usually takes one to two weeks.
After your tooth has been prepared for the porcelain veneer: You may have to wait one to two weeks while your veneer is manufactured. Since some enamel has been trimmed away from your tooth you can expect that its front side will feel a little rough. You might also find that there is a prominent corner or angle on your tooth that your tongue finds irresistible to investigate repeatedly. Despite these new irregularities it's expected that you will become accustom to the shape of your tooth soon enough.
Because some enamel has been trimmed from your tooth you might experience an increase in sensitivity to hot and cold foods and beverages. We will create a temporary veneer for you to wear during the waiting period while the dental laboratory is fabricating your porcelain laminate veneer. It is possible that the temporary veneer may become dislodged and require a brief visit to the dentist to have it put back on.
Call us with your questions about porcelain laminate veneers or the process of preparing your tooth for porcelain veneers and temporary porcelain veneer, and any family dentistry questions. We are a West Jordan, Utah Family Dentistry and service South Jordan, Riverton, Midvale and other Utah cities. 801.255.7600 |
