A healthy, beautiful smile is something that most people desire almost as much as they would want to have flawless facial skin or silky, flowing hair. A smile is one of the things that other people will notice upon meeting you, so naturally, you will want to make a good impression by confidently flashing healthy, pearly whites.
Of course, not everyone will have teeth as gorgeously white and properly aligned as models in toothpaste commercials do. Some people will have teeth that are discolored (from years of consuming coffee, cigarettes, or certain drugs), worn down, chipped, broken, irregularly shaped, misaligned, and have gaps. But these teeth conditions can be fixed using dental veneers — Fort Lauderdale dentists have years of experience performing this relatively routine procedure on the proper candidates.
Veneers are wafer-thin, custom-made shells of tooth-colored materials that are meant to cover the front surface of teeth and improve their appearance. There are two kinds of materials that can be used to create veneers: porcelain and resin composite materials. The latter is thinner, but porcelain veneers are better able to resist stains and mimic natural light reflection, thus creating a more natural appearance.
The process of getting dental veneers is described below:
1. A dentist will first need to determine whether getting veneers is the right diagnosis for your specific condition. You need to actively explain the results you want to see and volunteer important information such as whether you clench or grind teeth while sleeping, or whether you have unhealthy and weakened teeth (which are signs that veneers are not advisable for you).
2. To prepare your teeth for the procedure, about 1/2 millimeter of enamel will be removed from your tooth by the dentist; this will be the same approximate thickness of the veneer that will be applied. An impression of your teeth will then be made; this model will be sent to a lab where your veneers will be constructed. This can take a week or two.
3. Before binding the veneer to the teeth, the dentist will repeatedly place it on the tooth then remove it to see if the fit and color is just right; it will need to be trimmed to achieve the perfect fit. When the veneer is the right size, your teeth will then be cleaned, polished and etched to allow for more effective bonding. A special kind of cement will be applied to the veneer, and then it will be placed on your teeth. A special light beam will facilitate the quick hardening of the cement. Afterwards, final trimming of any excess cement and last adjustments are made.
After the procedure, the dentist may ask you to come in for follow-up visits so that he can observe how your teeth and gums are responding to the veneers.
