Dental Veneers

Dental veneers are used by many orthodontic practices today to help correct many imperfections in teeth. Veneers are very thin shells made to cover the front surface of teeth. They can change a persons tooth colour, shape, size and length. They are made with composite resin and/or porcelain. The veneers are generally produced by dental technicians in a laboratory or can be created by the orthodontist right in the dental office. These veneers are then bonded directly to the teeth with different forms of cement. With the invention of dental veneers more and more patients and orthodontists are using this procedure as opposed to having dental crowns placed. Veneers can be placed or one tooth or an entire mouthful of teeth during the orthodontic visit.

Veneers help people that have a problem with worn enamel on their teeth. Enamel is the hard substance that keeps teeth white and it helps to reduce cavities. Over time the tooth’s enamel can become worn, dulled and discoloured. This is usually caused by drinking tea, coffee and in some cases even by taking medications. Smoking is a huge factor for discoloured enamel.

Teeth that have slight chips and cracks in them can be helped with the use of dental veneers. The veneer can also protect teeth from further damage caused by enamel erosion or cavities.

When having dental veneers placed on the teeth the first step an orthodontist will do is x-rays and usually will make impressions of the patient’s mouth. This helps the orthodontist to evaluate the patient’s needs and offer the right solution for their problem. If the orthodontist finds that the patient is a good candidate for veneers the next step would be to prepare the teeth for the veneers. The orthodontist will then shave off a small amount of the enamel on the teeth. After this is finished they take another x-ray of the teeth and send it off to the laboratory for the creation of the veneer. The orthodontist will take the finished veneer and size it to the patient’s mouth, making sure it is correct size and colour, before placing it over the tooth. When the veneer is ready it is then bonded permanently to the patients tooth. Once the veneer is in place the orthodontist will apply a light beam to it. This helps to activate the chemicals in the bonding cement and causes it to harden and cure quickly.