Porcelain veneers are a cosmetic dental treatment in Newcastle and can help perfect the appearance of generally healthy teeth.

When to Choose Porcelain Veneers?

It’s worth considering porcelain veneers if you have heavily discoloured and stained teeth, and which cannot be whitened with a tooth bleaching treatment. Sometimes teeth are internally stained, so they will not respond to teeth whitening. Porcelain veneers can also mend small cracks or chips in teeth. They are ideal for changing the shape of teeth that are perhaps worn down or misshapen, or too small. If you have one or two teeth that are out of alignment, porcelain veneers can help bring them back into line. Unsightly gaps between teeth can be closed entirely or minimized with porcelain veneers.

What Are Veneers?

A veneer is made from a thin shell of porcelain, bonded onto the tooth’s front surface. It covers the tooth from the gumline to the incisal or biting edge. Veneers are typically 0.5 mm in thickness, so only minimal tooth preparation is needed. Once a veneer is bonded onto a tooth, it is relatively strong and durable and can be brushed and flossed just like the rest of your teeth.

Who Can Have Veneers?

Before any form of dental treatment, you will need a consultation with our dentist in Clarington. We can gently assess your teeth and determine if they are suitable for veneers. Your teeth will most likely be suitable for veneers if they are strong and healthy and do not have large fillings or signs of tooth decay or other damage. Suppose a tooth is more substantially decayed or damaged. In that case, a porcelain crown might be a better solution as it will cover the tooth entirely, providing excellent protection while restoring the tooth’s appearance.

The next step is to decide how many veneers are needed. Some people choose to have multiple veneers covering most or all their upper front teeth and even their lower teeth. It’s an option that can give you a truly perfect smile. Others want just one or two veneers to cover teeth that will benefit from treatment. It’s worth bearing in mind that veneers can be often be combined with other dental treatments, including teeth whitening. For example, if you have a couple of veneers, you could brighten your smile beforehand with a professional teeth bleaching treatment. We can then match your new veneers to the whiter colour of your smile.

Once we have decided how many veneers are needed, and if any other procedures are to be used, West Bowmanville Family Dental will provide you with a complete treatment plan. The plan provides details of all the procedures recommended, the cost and the time required.

What to Expect During Treatment?

Porcelain veneer treatment is very straightforward, and the first step is to prepare your teeth for the veneers. We use local anesthetic to keep you comfortable, and our dentist will carefully reshape your teeth, removing a minimal amount of tooth structure. Reshaping your teeth helps to ensure that once your veneers are in place, they look and feel natural and are not too bulky or big. When your teeth are prepared, we take an impression using our digital impression system. The digital impression replaces an ordinary tray impression and is far more accurate, ensuring you receive precision-made veneers. While your veneers are fabricated, your teeth are protected with temporary veneers. Once ready, you return to our Courtice dental practice, where we will try in and adjust your veneers until they are perfect before bonding them onto your teeth. You can expect veneers to last around ten years before they need replacing, depending on how well you care for them.