Dental veneers are a potential solution to improve your smile. They are popular for patients with chipped teeth, gaps between teeth, or misshapen teeth. In just a few short appointments, they can transform your smile, and they are a natural-looking way to give your teeth a classically-looking smile.
If you’re one of the many Lakeview and North Shore residents who are asking, what are veneers, the team of dentists at Smile On Dental Salon and Sleep Apnea Center is happy to answer. Veneers are one of the dental services we specialize in, and we look forward to improving your smile.
What Do They Do?
Also known as porcelain veneers, dental veneers are wafer-thin, custom-made shells of tooth-colored materials designed to cover the front surface of teeth to improve their appearance. The shells are bonded to the front of the teeth, which changes their color, shape, size, or length.
Dental veneers are routinely used to fix dental issues, such as
- Teeth that are discolored because of root canal treatment, excessive fluoride, large resin fillings, or stains from tetracycline.
- Teeth that are worn down
- Teeth that are misaligned, uneven, or irregularly shaped
- Teeth with gaps between them
How Veneers Work
Applying the veneers to your teeth is known as bonding. Your dentist will place the veneer on your tooth to examine its fit and color, removing and trimming it to achieve the proper fit before permanently cementing it. If you want the color adjusted, it will occur at this point in the procedure.
Next, your tooth will be cleaned, polished, and etched so that it is ready to receive the veneer. A special cement is then applied to the veneer and placed on your tooth. Once properly positioned, the dentist will shine a light on it to activate chemicals in the cement, causing it to harden.
Aftercare
Dental veneers do not require special care when applied to teeth. Continue to brush and floss as you normally would.
Average Lifespan
The lifespan of the veneers depends on factors such as your gum and oral health, how you age, and the quality of the porcelain and placement implemented by your dentist. Veneers last about 10 to over 20 years. Talk to your dentist to learn tips on
maintaining oral and gum hygiene to ensure you maximize the lifespan of your veneers.
Cost Factors
- Insurance policy – Find out if your plan covers dental veneers.
- Location – Where you are receiving the cosmetic dental service.
- Skillset of the dentist – The experience and level of expertise will factor into the dental fees.
- Number of teeth – How many teeth are you receiving dental veneers for.
Benefits
Veneers offer several benefits besides fixing the aforementioned dental issues.
- Provide a natural tooth appearance
- Gums tolerate porcelain well
- Porcelain veneers are stain-resistant
- They generally do not require as much shaping as crowns do, yet they are stronger and look more natural
- A color can be selected to make dark teeth appear more white
Causes
The act of veneer being placed on teeth is typically caused by various issues with your smile, such as worn-down teeth, cracked teeth, and teeth with gaps between them.
What to Expect
When you visit either our Lakeview or North Shore location for veneers, you will find that our dentists are dedicated to comfortably providing our patients with a full range of gentle dental care services in our modern, state-of-the-art dental offices. We offer extended morning, weekend, and evening hours to accommodate your busy schedule.
Get in Touch with Veneer Dentist
To get started with our North Shore and Lakeview veneer dentist, contact Smile On Dental Salon at (773) 525-5545 (Lakeview) or (224) 282-8939 (North Shore).
