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Transform Your Smile with Veneers

Porcelain veneers, also called dental laminates, are wafer-thin shells made out of dental ceramic that are bonded onto the front side of your teeth. They’re usually 0.5 to 0.6 mm thick – about ½ the thickness of a dime or twice the thickness of an eggshell. Veneers are used in cosmetic dentistry for improving the appearance of teeth. Think of it like you’re resurfacing a tooth when you get a veneer.

When to Consider Veneers

Veneers are routinely used to make adjustments to the shape and color of your teeth. Teeth that are discolored, worn, chipped, malformed, or have a combination of these problems, can all be improved with veneers. They are a great choice for:

  • Repair of minor tooth imperfections and defects
  • A durable alternative to dental bonding
  • Whitening a smile
  • Instant Orthodontics – they give you a straight tooth appearance
  • Closing minor tooth gaps
Happy woman pointing at her beautiful teeth.

Why Do Veneers Work?

You might be wondering how such a thin shell of porcelain can withstand all the wear and tear that they’ll be exposed to in your mouth. Although porcelain is brittle and is easily fractured if dropped or flexed, it becomes incredibly strong when bonded to your tooth.

Dentist matching veneers color with woman's natural teeth color.

How Do Veneers Work?

Tooth enamel is the most highly mineralized body tissue – 98% mineral content vs. 70% for bone. When an acidic solution is placed on the enamel it will dissolve away some of the mineral content. After this treatment, the tooth’s smooth surface is transformed into one that’s jagged and rough on a microscopic level it becomes etched – like etched glass. After your tooth is etched Dr. Hemphill coats the tooth’s surface with a liquid bonding agent. The liquid seeps into the nooks and crannies of the tooth’s etched surface. Veneers are placed over the bonding agent establishing a strong bond between the tooth’s enamel and porcelain veneer.

Advantages of Veneers

There are three primary characteristics of veneers that make them a unique and desirable option.

  1. Placing veneers is a conservative procedure. Compared to placing dental crowns, much less tooth trimming is required.
  2. They handle light like natural teeth. They look very natural and have a life-like appearance that’s unsurpassed by any other type of dental restoration.
  3. Because of their ceramic surface, they offer superior stain resistance.

The Veneer Procedure

There are several steps taken when you decide to go with veneers. The process may take several dental office visits to accomplish.

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