Veneers are porcelain shells that are bonded to the front surface of your teeth to cover up dental imperfections such as discoloration, chips, cracks, gaps, crooked teeth, or unevenly shaped or sized teeth. Veneers match the shade of your natural teeth or can be made lighter than the shade of your natural teeth for a whitening boost.
A good candidate for veneers is someone who has good oral hygiene with no active tooth decay or gum disease. You should also not have severe damage, orthodontic problems, or large gaps. While veneers can cover up minor issues like slightly crooked teeth, small gaps, worn down enamel, or small chips and cracks, they can’t fix everything.
You may need to undergo orthodontic treatment before receiving veneers if you have more severe malocclusions. If you are in overall good oral health with minor aesthetic problems with your teeth, you’re a great candidate for veneers!
At your consultation in Baltimore, we’ll examine your mouth and take x-rays of your teeth to determine if you’re a good candidate for veneers. If veneers seem like a good option for you, we’ll file down .5 mm of your tooth enamel and take impressions of your teeth. We’ll also use a shade guide to match the shade of your teeth to the veneers.
The impressions will be sent to a dental lab that will create your veneers. It will take a few weeks for them to be ready and we’ll place temporary veneers over your teeth in the meantime. Once your veneers are ready, you’ll return to the office for another appointment.
We’ll prepare your teeth for the bonding by cleaning them and roughening the surface with an abrasion tool. An etching liquid will then be applied and then we’ll bond the veneers to your teeth with dental cement.
Porcelain veneers last for about 10-15 years before needing to be replaced. However, because we remove a small amount of enamel from your teeth, this procedure is irreversible and you will need to keep your teeth covered. To extend the longevity of your veneers, you should:
