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Porcelain Veneers
Transform Your Smile With Porcelain Veneers
Your teeth go through a significant amount of wear and tear every day. Chips, cracks, stains, and other cosmetic imperfections can arise over time and undermine your smile. Fortunately, porcelain veneers are a simple cosmetic dental treatment that can correct a wide range of aesthetic dental flaws. These porcelain shells fit over the front surface of your teeth to conceal aesthetic drawbacks. Peak Family Dental Care is proud to provide high-quality porcelain veneers that look and feel as natural as the rest of your smile.
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Candidates for Porcelain Veneers
Almost any patient with cosmetic defects affecting one or more teeth can qualify for veneers. They are most often suggested for:
- Discolored or stained teeth
- Misaligned or angled teeth
- Chipped, cracked, or broken teeth
- Gaps between teeth
- Crowded or overlapping teeth
However, dental conditions such as gum disease or tooth decay take priority over cosmetic treatments. If you have any underlying oral health problems, the doctor will recommend treatment for these first in order to lay the groundwork for long-lasting cosmetic results.
Placing Porcelain Veneers
Treatment begins with a consultation. During this discussion, the doctor will review your oral health, evaluate your smile and bite patterns, and ask about your treatment goals. Based on this conversation, you and your doctor will develop the details of your treatment plan. In some cases, he suggests an alternative treatment that suits your goals more closely, such as dental crowns or teeth whitening.
If veneers appear to be an appropriate option, we can schedule your first appointment. Placing veneers typically takes two visits. During the first, the doctor removes a small portion of enamel from the surface of the tooth or teeth under treatment. He or she will take a conservative approach, removing only enough enamel to create sufficient space between the teeth for the veneers. The doctor e can then take impressions of the teeth and make a note of the shade of your surrounding teeth. This information is used by the ceramicist to custom-craft your veneers.
In most cases, the veneers are ready within about two weeks. At this time, we will reach out to you to schedule the second appointment to place the veneers. During this meeting, the doctor will first clean and buff your teeth to optimize the bonding process. Next, he will double-check the shape, shade, and fit of your veneer to ensure that it blends in seamlessly with your adjacent teeth. The veneers are then carefully placed over the tooth or teeth and secured with specialized dental cement.
With porcelain veneers, patients can have a natural-looking, camera-ready smile.
Getting the Most Out of Your Porcelain Veneers
Although veneers are made of a strong porcelain material, patients will still need to take care of them to ensure they last as long as possible. Patients can get the most out of their veneers by avoiding certain habits that can compromise the integrity of the veneer, like biting their fingernails or chewing on hard substances like candy and ice. For patients who grind their teeth, the dentist may recommend a night guard to protect their veneers.
Good oral hygiene is another key to extending the longevity of your veneers. Cavity prevention is important since decay underneath a veneer can only receive treatment by removing the veneer. Daily brushing and flossing, as well as biannual cleanings from your dentist, help keep your mouth cavity-free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does dental insurance cover porcelain veneers?
Most dental insurance plans classify porcelain veneers as an elective cosmetic procedure, so coverage is often limited or unavailable. That said, coverage details vary widely from one plan to the next, and some patients find that a portion of the cost is covered if veneers are used to restore function after damage or decay. Our Cottonwood, Flagstaff, and Sedona teams are happy to review your benefits and walk you through payment options, including financing plans, so you can make an informed decision.
How long do porcelain veneers last?
With proper care, porcelain veneers typically last between 10 and 15 years, and many patients enjoy them even longer. Their lifespan depends on factors like oral hygiene habits, diet, and whether a patient grinds their teeth at night. Routine dental visits allow your doctor to monitor the condition of your veneers and address any concerns before they become bigger issues.
Is getting porcelain veneers painful?
Most patients experience little to no discomfort during veneer placement. Because only a small amount of enamel is removed, local anesthesia is often enough to keep patients comfortable throughout the appointment. Some mild sensitivity to hot or cold foods is normal for a few days afterward, but this typically fades quickly as your mouth adjusts to the veneers.
Can porcelain veneers be whitened?
Porcelain veneers resist staining far better than natural enamel, but they cannot be whitened with bleaching treatments once they are placed. This is why your dentist carefully matches the shade of your veneers to your desired smile goals from the start. If your natural teeth are prone to discoloration, whitening them before your veneer consultation can help create a bright, even smile overall.
Enhance Your Smile With Veneers
With porcelain veneers, patients can have a natural-looking, camera-ready smile. Visit us at one of our locations today.