Hi, I’m Dr Thea, one of the gentle dentists here at Dental House Group in Melbourne.
Yesterday, I had a new local patient named Cindy from Sunbury who chipped a front tooth and was enquiring about the different ways to repair it. She specifically wanted to know what veneers are. Since dental veneers are a popular treatment option, I thought I should make a video to share with you what I discussed with her.
In dentistry, a veneer is a very thin layer of material that is placed onto a tooth that needs fixing or enhancing. They are almost like a shell, and can make a tooth blend in with other teeth better. We often use them on teeth that are yellowed, chipped, or slightly out of place to help improve a patient’s smile.
Veneer teeth can be made with porcelain or a type of resin-composite material and bonded to the front surface of a tooth. Porcelain is the most popular material because it looks and feels like your natural teeth and is strong and durable. Even the colour can be matched to the rest of your natural teeth.
Dental veneers offer many advantages. They can quickly fix the shape or colour of a tooth, straighten a crooked tooth, and can restore the look of a chipped tooth and protect it from further damage. Moreover, they have a beautiful smooth surface and look like real teeth. Porcelain veneers are also stain resistant.
When getting veneers, there is a bit of preparation needed. First, we do an initial examination to make sure there are no hidden problems. We may take X-rays, photos or scans of your teeth so we can create a veneer tooth that fits the rest of your teeth. Each patient is unique and what you need may be different from another patient.
After the initial smile consultation and data collection, we will design your smile with digital smile design. You will be very involved during the design process. Once you have approved the design, it will be sent to the dental lab, where they will create the mock-up for your veneers.
When they are ready, you will come back in, where we will prepare your teeth so we can place the temporary veneers onto your teeth. You can give us any feedback, make sure you are happy with the temporary teeth. You also get to wear them for a couple of weeks, while your final veneers are being made.
Once we place the final veneers onto your teeth, they will be polished to match the sheen of your natural teeth. The entire process may take from two to four weeks.
I hope this gives you a better understanding of dental veneers.
If you are interested in upgrading your smile with veneers, the best thing to do is come in for a smile assessment so we can see if this is the ideal option for you.
Simply give us a call on 1800GENTLE, fill in the form on our website, or DM us on social media, and our friendly team will help you organise your smile consultation.
