If you find yourself wishing for a brighter, more confident smile, porcelain veneers may be the solution. At Lake Forest Smiles, our skilled cosmetic dentists offer an artistic touch to give your smile a makeover that is tailored to the best part of your smile—you.
How Veneers Work
Dental veneers are thin, custom-made shells made from a porcelain material. They are designed to cover the front surface of teeth to improve the tooth’s appearance. Veneers are used to address various cosmetic issues and can provide a natural-looking solution for teeth that are:
- Discolored
- Chipped or Worn Down
- Misaligned or Irregularly Shaped
- Unevenly Spaced
- Lightly
Veneers do provide a bit of structural support to a tooth that has some damage, but they don’t protect the tooth. While veneers can significantly improve the aesthetics of teeth, they are primarily a cosmetic treatment and may not be suitable for teeth with significant structural damage or decay.
Consult with our dentists at Lake Forest Dentistry to determine if veneers are the right option for achieving your desired smile.
A Natural Look
Since our veneers are custom porcelain, they will feel just like your natural tooth, both in appearance and how they feel on your tooth. After a short adjustment period, you likely won’t be able to tell that its there!
Before applying veneers, a minimal layer of tooth enamel is removed to ensure a comfortable fit in your mouth once they are in place. This attention to detail ensures that your veneers not only enhance your smile but also feel seamless and natural.
Porcelain is durable, beautiful, and stain-resistant. Its light-reflecting qualities are similar to those of your natural teeth, ensuring that whether you need veneers for one tooth or all of them, your ideal smile will look natural.
The Dental Veneer Process
The dental veneer process involves several steps designed to improve the appearance of teeth. We intend veneers to be a long-lasting cosmetic solution. At Lake Forest Dentistry, our highly trained dentists work to make the dental veneer treatment process as quick and easy as possible.
1. Consultation and Examination
Our patients will initially consult with our dentists to determine if veneers are suitable for them. Patients will have the opportunity to share their oral health goals and the patient’s teeth will be x-rayed and examined.
2. Preparing the Teeth
On your next visit, our dentists will remove a small amount of enamel from the tooth’s surface so the veneers and glue can grip your teeth. We will take impressions and send them to a lab so that custom veneers can be made.
3. Temporary Veneers
While your permanent veneers are being made, temporary veneers may be placed on your teeth. These will still be comfortable, and will not slip or move around. You only wear the temporary veneers for a week or two.
4. Bonding
Once we have the veneers our dentists will match and compare the color of the veneers to your other teeth before application. The veneers are then bonded to your teeth with a special dental cement.
Benefits of Dental Veneers
When you are self-conscious about your smile, you may avoid showing your teeth in photos, when you smile, or at job interviews. If this is you, dental veneers may be a great option for you! Porcelain veneers are used to cover up embarrassing dental problems like unevenly spaced, discolored, chipped, or misshapen teeth.
The many benefits of porcelain veneers have made them one of the most popular cosmetic dentistry procedures available. Veneers can:
- Repair Teeth Simply and Easily: We make the process for receiving veneers as simple as possible. Most often we only need to do two visits and a consultation to set you up with a new smile.
- Natural Appearance: Once the porcelain veneers are crafted, our dentists will sculpt each overlay to create a natural-looking smile. They are customized to fit your style and facial symmetry. Once they are placed on your teeth, they will look and feel very natural.
- Permanent and Durable: Porcelain veneers are a permanent fix, and they resist stains and decay better than natural teeth. With proper care, veneers can last between 10–15 years.
- Easy to Maintain: Porcelain veneers do not require any special care above normal good oral hygiene and care. You still need to brush twice a day and floss at least once daily, as well as come see your dentist at Lake Forest Dentistry!
- Requires Little Preparation: Placing dental veneers requires only a super thin layer of enamel to be removed. The removal of a tiny bit of enamel is necessary for the veneer to bond to the tooth properly.
- Minimally Invasive: The procedure is minimally invasive and will require very little or no anesthesia. It is a less invasive process than many other dental restoration options. We do offer sedation dentistry for our anxious patients.
- Increase Confidence: It’s very common for patients to feel more confident after they get veneers. Dental veneers look and feel so natural, you can be more confident in your smile!
At Lake Forest Dentistry, we can help you decide if veneers are the right option for you.
Helping Your Veneers Last
Veneers are permanent, however, they are still susceptible to regular wear and tear. How long they last depends on how well you take care of them. To care for your smile in the best way, we recommend that you follow these tips.
By making sure to take care of your veneers, you are protecting an investment in your oral health and your self-confidence. Keeping up with your oral hygiene care and regular visits to your dentist, your veneers can last 10 years or longer.
Wear a Guard
If you play sports or grind your teeth, it’s recommended you wear a mouthguard or a bite guard to avoid damage to your veneers.
Brush and Floss Regularly
As with all things oral health, regular, sustained oral hygiene will keep your veneers, and the rest of your mouth, in tip-top shape.
Use Your Teeth Wisely
Teeth are not tools! Avoid using your teeth in ways that may damage them, such as biting your nails, opening packages, or other non-food activities.
Be Careful with Hard Foods
Things such as chomping on ice, or eating sticky or hard foods can result in damage such as chipping if you are not careful.
Choose Lake Forest Dentistry for Your Porcelain Veneers
Choosing a dental practice for porcelain veneers is an important decision. Here at Lake Forest Dentistry, we are excited to offer a streamlined, professional, and relaxing environment as patients undergo their porcelain veneer treatment.
At Lake Forest Dentistry, we offer specialized dentistry services with expertise that ensures our patient’s needs are met with high-quality results. We offer a personalized treatment plan that is tailored to meet the unique and specific needs of each dental patient and their aesthetic goals.
We are a patient-centered dental office that prioritizes comfort, listens to patients, and provides clear communication throughout the treatment journey.
If you are interested in learning more about our porcelain veneer treatment plan, please give our office a call!
Commonly Asked Questions about Dental Veneers
Veneers are an excellent choice if you want to correct slight imperfections in your teeth, such as minor chips, cracks, uneven shape, gaps, and discoloration. Veneers can dramatically improve the color and shape of the teeth to which they are applied and do not involve an invasive procedure.
It is common for patients to have questions about dental treatments that are new to them. Here are some frequently asked questions about dental veneers:
How long do veneers last?
Depending on how well you care for your veneers, they can last anywhere from 5–15 years. If you clench or grind your teeth or bite your fingernails, veneers may wear out quickly.
How do veneers work?
Veneers are restorations made of a thin sheet of porcelain covering the front of the tooth. The veneers look and feel like natural teeth and can improve the color and shape of your teeth.
Can veneers replace missing teeth?
No, veneers are a layer of porcelain placed over an actual tooth that is damaged, stained, or poorly shaped. If the entire tooth is missing, other options, including crowns, implants, and dental bridges can replace missing teeth.
Are veneers safe?
Yes, veneers are very safe. Porcelain is a bio-compatible material that works with your tooth to improve your smile. Veneers have been successfully used to improve the smiles of millions of people and are a non-invasive cosmetic procedure done right here at Lake Forest Dentistry!
Do porcelain veneers stain?
No, once your porcelain veneers are placed, you can look forward to years of beautiful white teeth without worrying about stains from food or drink.
Can porcelain veneers be whitened?
No, once the color for your veneers is determined, they will stay that color for the life of the veneers. If you are interested in a whiter smile and plan to get veneers, it is best to whiten your teeth first, then match the veneers to the results of your teeth whitening treatment.
Are veneers removable?
No, veneers are permanently bonded into position. They act and function like your natural teeth.
Are veneers painful?
No, once veneers are bonded to your teeth, you will not feel them. The layer of enamel removed is very thin, and you do not feel any discomfort. During the procedure to apply the veneers, a local anesthetic is used.
Can veneers be placed on crooked teeth?
In many cases, veneers can be applied to crooked teeth or teeth with gaps, depending on the severity of the crowding. If the crowding or gaps are minor, veneers can improve your smile. Other options are available if the crowding is severe or the gap is significant.
Discover Your Perfect Smile in Lake Forest
Lake Forest Smiles has two skilled cosmetic dentists who can help you determine if veneers are right for you and can help you craft your ideal smile. Call our office today to make an appointment to learn more.