If you’re looking for a comprehensive cosmetic solution that’s fast and natural-looking, porcelain veneers could be the right choice for you. These thin restorations are bonded directly to the visible surface of your teeth, creating a beautiful new, uniform finish. Edgewater Dental’s porcelain veneers can give you that gorgeous straight, bright smile you’ve always wanted!

Why Get Porcelain Veneers?

Patients come to us to get porcelain veneers for many reasons. The one thing they all have in common is that they all want a great-looking smile! Some of the reasons for getting veneers are:

• Discoloration that whitening doesn’t fix

• Minor misalignment of teeth

• Broken, cracked, or chipped tooth or teeth

• Teeth that are worn

• Diastema, or gap(s)

When you come in for a consultation, we’ll ask you about your goals for your smile. This is a good starting point for exploring all of your options. The information we get from that conversation will also help us plan your treatment so that you get the most out of it.

How Porcelain Veneers Are Done

With any procedure, it can help ease anxiety to know what is going to happen. And as dental procedures go, this is an easy one:

1. To begin your porcelain veneers, the dentist will trim about 0.5 to 0.75 mm from your tooth’s enamel.

2. The dentist or their assistant will take impressions of your teeth so that the lab can make veneers that fit perfectly.

3. The dentist will design your porcelain veneers to match the surrounding natural teeth in terms of translucency and other qualities.

4. The impressions and specifications are sent to our trusted dental lab, and temporary veneers are applied if needed.

5. Once the lab prepares your veneers, you’ll return to the office to have them fitted and bonded.

Now, you get to enjoy your gorgeous new smile and the confidence that comes with it!

Are Porcelain Veneers Painful?

Most patients experience no pain or discomfort at all. The trimming process is a little like sanding, and it’s only applied to the outermost layers of enamel.

Some patients do have to have cavities filled or old fillings replaced before receiving veneers. But thanks to the gift of anesthesia, fillings aren’t painful either!

There may be a short period after veneers are applied during which some patients report sensitivity. This should go away entirely in a few weeks or less.

Are Porcelain Veneers Permanent?

Porcelain veneers last 7–15 years for most patients. Certainly, a veneer could fail before 7 years or last longer than 15, but the majority fall into that range. Porcelain veneers are permanent in the sense that they’re irreversible. If one breaks or disengages from the tooth, you’ll need to have it replaced—following the same process as the original placement.

Alternatives to Porcelain Veneers

In addition to traditional veneers, we offer Lumineers as an even less invasive cosmetic treatment that doesn’t require as much alteration to your natural teeth. This type of veneer has one primary benefit: It’s reversible. If you no longer want veneers later on, you can simply have Lumineers removed.

However, there is also one drawback: No-prep veneers like Lumineers don’t last as long as porcelain veneers and typically need to be replaced more often.

Direct bonding may also be a good alternative for minor aesthetic improvements. Visit our dental bonding page to learn more.

Get Porcelain Veneers

Book a consultation with Edgewater Dental today to learn more about how porcelain veneers can help you love your smile!