Phone: (202) 783 - 3368 -
Hours: Monday to Friday 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM
Porcelain veneers
What are porcelain veneers?
Porcelain veneers are fine shells of ceramic material that are bonded on the front of teeth. They are used to mask discolorations, to brighten teeth, and to improve smile. They are a great restorative choice for improving the appearance of the front teeth. Porcelain veneers are very resistant to permanent staining from coffee, tea, or even cigarette smoking.
You can schedule an appointment with any of our doctors at James E. Johnson DDS, & Associates P.C. to see if the use of porcelain veneers is an acceptable choice for your dental restorative needs.
Some of the conditions for which porcelain veneer restoration is recommended are:
- As an alternative to crowns, to change tooth color, size, or shape.
- For treating severe teeth discolorations: for example, teeth stained by tetracycline, by injury, as the result of a root-canal procedure, for masking discolored fillings in front teeth etc.
- Alternative for certain Orthodontics: for example, when the front teeth are slightly misaligned, crooked, or rotated.
- For the repair of old crowns and bridgework under certain situations.
- For treatment of gaps between teeth
How is it done?
The procedure is fairly simple and requires little or no anesthesia. You would need usually three to four appointments for the entire procedure from diagnosis to treatment planning, teeth preparation and completion.
We urge you to take an active role and spend some time in the planning process with us. In the diagnostic step we will conduct a comprehensive examination of your mouth, including full mouth X-rays, analysis of your bite, analysis of the proportions of your teeth forming the smile line, incisal guidance, canine rise, diagnostic wax-up if necessary, etc.
In the next step we prepare your teeth for veneering. The teeth are shaped in accordance with the diagnostic wax-up. About 0.5mm-0.7mm of tooth structure is removed and then replaced by the added thickness of the veneer. This may require the use of a local anesthetic in some cases. A mold of your teeth is taken and sent to the laboratory for the fabrication of your veneers. This can take about two to three weeks. We place temporary veneers for you, during this period.
The next step is bonding of veneers to your teeth. First, we place the veneers on your teeth to check their fit and to get a sense of the shade or color. At this time, we request that you view it and provide us input on the esthetic results, especially the color. Because, at this point the color of the veneers can be slightly adjusted with the shade of the cement to be used. After this we proceed to the cementing and bonding process. Once the veneers are cemented, the color cannot be altered.
To bond the veneer, the tooth is first cleansed with specific chemicals. This is necessary to achieve bonding. Then a special cement is sandwiched between the veneer and tooth and the cement is hardened by a light beam.
Follow-up
There is no additional maintenance. But we ask that you return for a follow-up appointment, after a week or two. We advise you to brush and floss daily.
For about a week or two, you will go through a period of adjustment as you get used to your "new" teeth that have been changed in size and shape.
What can you expect and what are the risks?
This procedure can greatly enhance your smile and self esteem. You can expect an aesthetically pleasing naturalness for your teeth. But you should understand that they are not perfect replacements for your natural teeth. You may see slight variations in the color of porcelain veneers upon close inspection; but remember this occurs even in natural teeth.
Porcelain veneers are shade stable, and their color will not change.
Some people experience minor sensitivity after the teeth have been prepared for veneers and while wearing the temporary veneers. If you feel any changes in the way you speak, please call us. We can make minor adjustments to your veneers to correct this.
If you grind your teeth (bruxism), we can fabricate a night guard to protect your new smile.
