Porcelain veneers in Plantation, Florida

What is a Porcelain Veneer?

Porcelain veneers essentially replace tooth enamel with thin ceramic layers, covering up imperfections on the surface. They’re designed to fit snugly and stay firmly in place, so no one but you and your dentist will know they’re there.

Veneers are a versatile way to handle several issues that affect the look of your teeth:

• Color: Beverages such as coffee or tea, certain medications, smoking, and even aging all can cause teeth to become dingy or yellow. Veneers can restore teeth’s brightness, taking years off your appearance. If you have a single tooth or handful of teeth that have been particularly resistant to other whitening treatments, one or a few veneers also can target these teeth and make them white again.
• Size and shape: Veneers are one way that a chipped tooth can look like new again. Veneers also can lengthen teeth that have been shortened through bruxism, also called tooth grinding. They even can change the shape of your teeth along your bite if you’ve always thought your teeth looked too big, too round, too square, or too small to complement your features.
• Alignment and spacing: If you don’t want or otherwise need to use braces, porcelain veneers can close small gaps between your teeth and make other minor adjustments in alignment.

To apply one or more veneers, our dentist first will take a mold of your teeth so the veneer feels comfortable in your mouth and has a custom fit that looks natural.

Depending on the type of veneers used, the dentist might have to remove a small amount of tooth enamel – less than 1 mm of the surface – before adhering the veneer in place. But once attached, your porcelain veneer will be as permanent as a filling or a crown.

While it might need replacing after years of wear or an accident, you won’t have to worry about it shifting around as you eat or speak or becoming stained.

How Is a Veneer Different from a Crown?

Both veneers and crowns can change the shape, color, size, and overall appearance of your teeth. But where a crown or cap covers the entire tooth down to the gums – and requires removing more of the tooth enamel underneath – a veneer covers only the front side of the tooth.

Veneers are designed to fix minor imperfections in otherwise healthy teeth. A crown is the better option when the underlying tooth has lost a lot of its structure because of decay, clenching, grinding, trauma, or age.

If your problem tooth is among the teeth in the back of your mouth, a crown also might be the better option because of the stronger biting force in your molars.

How Long Do Veneers Last?

The durability of veneers can vary depending on the brand of used, your lifestyle, and proper care. But they’re designed to last for decades! Treat them as well as you would your natural teeth, and they’ll keep your smile radiant for years to come.

What Are Lumineers^®?

Lumineers^® are a specific brand of veneers that are ultra-thin and yet highly durable – they can last more than 20 years! Because of their thinness, they’re unique in that they require little to no reduction in the surface enamel of your natural tooth.

Applying them is completely pain-free, and because they’re also highly translucent, they look as natural as they feel.

How Do I Care For Veneers?

But for the most part, you care for veneers as you would your natural teeth, with brushing and flossing gently each day. That said, veneers do like a gentle touch. While you don’t need to baby them, we wouldn’t advise biting into very hard foods, such as candy apples, or using your teeth to open packages or rip off price tags.

If your veneers cover teeth worn from a habit such as clenching or grinding, you’ll likely need to wear a custom-made night guard to protect them.

Our experienced dentist in Plantation will gladly advise you about your particular dental care once your veneers are in place.

Schedule a Consultation for Veneers in Plantation Today

If you have additional questions about veneers or think they might be right for you, call our caring staff in Plantation to set up an appointment today at (954) 651-9315. We’re here to help you.