How veneers can create your ideal smile.

Stained or discolored teeth can make you feel insecure about smiling, speaking, and laughing with ease. Like having a chunk of broccoli stuck between your teeth, stains or other cosmetic imperfections can call attention to your smile in ways you’d rather not experience.

If your smile isn’t as bright or even as you’d like it to be, the first step is to drop any judgment and know you’re not alone in your experience. Enamel tends to thin as we age, revealing the darker layer of dentin underneath and making our teeth more vulnerable to damage. Because of this, most people’s teeth naturally become dull or yellow over time, which can be exacerbated by tobacco use and certain medications, foods, and drinks.

With self-criticism cast to the wind, the next step to reclaiming your smile’s health and beauty is to know your options for creating change. A solution for permanent tooth whitening, porcelain veneers can help you dramatically transform your smile’s overall appearance, shade, and shape.

What are dental veneers?

Dental veneers are thin, durable porcelain shells that envelop the front surface of targeted teeth to permanently whiten your smile and correct stains, discoloration, unevenness, crookedness, chips, cracks, gaps, tooth length, and a “gummy” smile. Artfully crafted to compliment your overall appearance and your smile’s beauty and function, porcelain veneers create a natural-looking smile that is completely unique and long-lasting. With good oral hygiene, regular dental visits, and healthy lifestyle habits, porcelain veneers can last 10 to 15 years before needing replacement.

The long-lasting durability of a porcelain veneer treatment is created by the bond between your veneers and natural teeth. In order to create this bond and the most natural appearance, a thin layer of tooth enamel (approximately 5mm) is permanently removed from your teeth. As tooth enamel cannot regenerate once its removed, a porcelain veneer treatment is considered a permanent solution. Put another way, once you decide you want porcelain veneers, you’ll always need them to maintain your smile’s strength, health, and beauty.

If you’re unsure whether you’re ready to commit to porcelain veneers or want a more conservative treatment, you may consider professional teeth whitening, Invisalign, or cosmetic dental bonding. While Invisalign can permanently straighten your smile, professional teeth whitening can remove stubborn stains and elevate your smile’s overall radiance and appearance. If your goal is to address minor cosmetic imperfections, dental bonding can be used to add height to a tooth or to correct cracks, chips, discoloration, and minor gaps between your teeth.

What is the veneer treatment process?

After an initial consultation with your cosmetic dentist, a porcelain veneer treatment is typically completed in just two clinical appointments, over the course of two to four weeks. During your first clinical appointment, your dentist will remove a thin layer of enamel from the front surface of targeted teeth. Your dental technician will take accurate impressions of your entire smile, which will be sent to a laboratory that specializes in custom-crafting porcelain veneers. Your dental team will then bond temporary veneers to your teeth, allowing you to experience how your new smile will take shape while keeping your prepared teeth safe.

During your second visit, you’ll receive local anesthesia before your dental team removes your temporary veneers and cleans, polishes, and lightly etches the surface of the targeted teeth. Your dentist will securely bond each veneer in place and make finishing touches to enhance your smile’s natural appearance and shape. Once the bonding cement is cured and set, your new smile will be healthy, strong, beautiful, and ready to be seen.

Porcelain veneers in St. Joseph and Berrien Springs.

With their ability to dramatically elevate your smile’s appearance, porcelain can be a life-changing dental treatment with far-reaching benefits to your confidence, communication, social connection, and sense of well-being. To learn more about how you can transform your smile’s appearance, contact our office to schedule a consultation today.