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Answer: Porcelain veneers are placed in two visits. Whether you have one veneer or twenty eight, it is still a two-visit procedure
Answer: If your veneers are being placed by an experienced cosmetic dentist, temporary bonded veneers will be placed after the first visit. They will look more than adequate for you to go about your daily routine. They will not be flossible since they will be fused togeth- er for added retention. You should not judge your final product by the look of your tempo- raries.
Answer: Porcelain is a color stable material, just like glass. However, the cement used to fuse porcelain veneers to teeth, as well as the original underlying tooth itself, could get slightly darker with time. This may slightly influence the color of the overlying veneer.
If veneers are properly maintained you should not notice any significant color shift over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answer: You must brush and floss your veneers daily. You should also have your veneers professionally cleaned by a dentist or a dental hygienist every three to four months.
Answer: Once porcelain veneers are fused to your natural teeth, they are extremely strong. However, there are foods that can break porcelain veneers, just as they would your own natural teeth. These include: chewing on bones, biting extremely hard candies, chewing extremely hard nuts, crunching ice cubes, and chewing very hard pretzels. If you use common sense when choosing foods, your veneers will not break and will provide years of service.
Answer: Typically, porcelain veneers should last a minimum of ten years or more, if placed by an experienced cosmetic dentist. In my practice, over 95% of all veneers placed fifteen years ago are still functioning and look beautiful today.
Answer: Most state laws prohibit any health care professionals from guaranteeing any biologic procedure. This law exists because local and systemic biology can change rapidly, affecting any previously performed biologic procedure. Simply stated, a healthy tooth, as well as a properly restored tooth, could develop future problems.
Since porcelain veneers are expensive, most cos- metic dentists will replace any veneer that breaks within three years of its original placement, pro- viding that the patient is maintaining the veneers (through regular hygiene) in the office where the veneers were placed.
Answer: If the crowns or bridges are made from porcelain, the answer is yes, provided that the crowns or bridges still fit the underlying tooth structure well.
Answer: Because porcelain veneers are extremely thin and do not go into the gum tissue, gum problems rarely develop.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Traditionally, all porcelain margins are tolerat- ed by the periodontal tissues much better than other dental materials.
Answer: Yes, provided that a ceramic post is placed within the tooth first and adequate tooth structure remains to support the veneer.
Answer: You must be old enough so that your bony facial anatomy has stopped grow- ing. This typically occurs between ages 16 and 18.
Answer: Many people have porcelain veneers placed just on their upper teeth, and then just bleach their lower teeth. A slight color discrep- ancy between arches will appear. If a proper veneer color is chosen, the bleached teeth will blend enough to create a pleasing smile.
Answer: In rare instances, veneers can be placed on teeth without any drilling or tooth preparation. In most situations, however, the teeth would appear too bulky from the layered materials if the underlying teeth are not reduced. It is better to reduce a minimal amount of tooth structure and replace that exact amount with porcelain, so that in the final product the teeth look as natural as possible.
Answer: The names of veneers are just that – ‘brand’ names. Different dental laboratories call their veneers by different names in an attempt to influence the public perception so as to increase their market share. Be careful of all the hype. There are many, many dental laboratories that fabricate excellent porcelain veneers. The bottom line is individual talent and experience. If you have a very experi- enced and talented cosmetic dentist, who is using a very experienced and talented ceramist, your final veneers will turn out natu- ral and beautiful. Don’t shop ‘brand names’ – shop for talent and experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answer: Absolutely, yes. The key is to try in the veneers and carefully examine them before they are permanently fused to your teeth. If changes and corrections are to be made, this is the time to request them. Once they are permanently fused to your teeth, they cannot be changed.
Answer: Your teeth should feel natural and normal after your veneers are placed. The highly glazed surface mimics natural tooth structure. If your bite does not feel right, have your dentist adjust it until it feels absolutely correct. Your mouth should feel exactly as it did before veneer placement.
Answer: No. Once veneers are placed, this is a permanent cosmetic dental procedure.
Veneers can only be replaced by other veneers or by crowns.
Answer: Your teeth should feel absolutely normal after placement. In very rare instances, some teeth may be slightly sensitive to cold temperatures. This should dissipate within two weeks.
Answer: Veneers made with quality porcelain do not look strange under black light.
Answer: Veneers tend to appear whiter in photographs than they actually appear in per- son. This is due to the reflective properties of flash photography.
This chapter from Amazing Smiles Through Cosmetic Dentistry explains or demonstrates porcelain veneers as part of Dr. Albert J. Kurpis’s broader cosmetic dentistry approach to improving smile balance, appearance, and confidence.
The right treatment depends on the condition of the teeth, gums, bite, facial balance, smile goals, and a professional examination. Similar-looking smile problems may require different solutions.
Cosmetic dentistry is designed to improve the appearance of the teeth and smile. For many patients, a more balanced and attractive smile can also improve confidence in social, personal, and professional situations.
Use the related chapter links on this page to explore similar cosmetic dentistry cases, porcelain veneer examples, dental implant topics, bite correction cases, and full mouth reconstruction chapters.
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