When teeth are discolored, worn down, or misaligned, there are multiple options for correcting the existing condition to create a more beautiful smile. Veneers are porcelain overlays used to modify the color and shape of teeth. This process is more conservative than a conventional crown and can greatly improve the aesthetics of your teeth. Depending on the changes desired, the preparations of the teeth may be very minor and done without freezing. In other cases, the preparations may be more extensive and require freezing and temporary veneers. To achieve the best cosmetic result, veneers are usually done in intervals of two to maintain symmetry and color matching. Take a look at the following examples and if you think you might be a candidate for veneers contact us today and and get the smile you are after.
Sample Cases Performed By Dr. Schau
Veneer Process
To help give you an idea of the Veneer process, here is a photo showing the steps involved. To do the Veneers the teeth are shaved down to make room for the porcelain. Impressions are taken of the teeth and sent to the lab. The Veneers are fabricated, returned to the dentist, and then cemented into place. In this case, tooth preparation was minimal so no temporary Veneers or freezing was used.
Porcelain Veneers Combined With Bonding
In some cases we can combine Porcelain Veneers and Resin Bonding to help restore a smile. In this case the front teeth were very chipped and worn resulting in a smile the patient was not happy with. Further complicating things, bridgework done on her right side (from another dentist) resulting in the canine tooth being to far forward making it look too big compared to the rest of the teeth. With the wear and tear on her front teeth, Porcelain Veneers had been chosen to restore their size and beauty (bonding would have trouble holding up to the biting forces). As her left canine tooth was tilted in, but otherwise in great shape, we opted for Resin Bonding on this tooth to build it out and complete the new look. The veneers added length and thickness to the front teeth to bring them in alignment with the bridge on her right side. The bonding on the canine brought it into alignment with the rest while being very conservative (no drilling of the tooth was performed). The result, a beautiful new smile and very happy patient.
Rejuvenating a Worn Smile
When front teeth get discolored, worn and chipped, it can be hard for fillings to hold up to the biting forces, and crowns may be excessive or result in further weakening of the remaining tooth structure. In this case, the desire was for nicer looking teeth and Veneers fit the bill. To complete the transformation the top front six teeth all received Veneers.
