Veneers for Patients in Winston Salem & King, NC

Providing a Natural Look While Preserving the Tooth

Veneers

What are Veneers

Veneers can be a great way to improve the look and still be very conservative, preserving most of the natural tooth structure. This can be a solution to:

  • Discolored teeth that do not respond to bleaching
  • Correct some cases of chipped or worn teeth
  • Fill in uneven spaces or a gap between the front teeth

Veneers are made of a thin shell of ceramic and placed on the visible portion of a front tooth.

How Does it Work?

p>If you are interested in veneers, often times we will take initial impressions and create a model. We can then create a wax mock up of what the veneers will look like, depending on what you would like to change about your smile. If everything looks right and the gums are healthy, we will schedule an appointment to prepare the teeth.

When necessary, a small amount of enamal is removed from the front and sides of the tooth to give room for the ceramic and give a natural appearance to the tooth. We will then take an impression of the prepared teeth and select the perfect shade with you. You may leave with temporary veneers in place. Before you leave the office and while at home for those first few days, critically evaluate the look of the veneers and let us know if there are any changes that can be made.

The impressions are sent to the lab where a technician custom-makes the ceramic veneers to fit your teeth. This can take several days.

When the veneers are made, they are fitted to your teeth and evaluated. After any adjustments needed are made, the teeth are cleaned and the ceramic veneers are bonded to the teeth.

Considerations in choosing veneers:

  • Before proceeding with veneers, your gums and teeth must be healthy
  • The front teeth may be a different shape and size than you are used to. Therefore, it may take some time to adjust to the new feel.
  • Although this is a conservative procedure, whenever tooth structure has been removed, it cannot be undone.
  • Patients that grind their teeth may not be good candidates for veneers, as they can chip or break. A night guard may be recommended to reduce the stress on the teeth.
  • As with any dental restoration, over time it is possible for veneers to become worn, loose, or chipped. In this case, a replacement may be needed.