Porcelain Veneers At Your Dentist In East Dallas

Dr. Kelli Slate is always happy to explain about dental treatment to her patients who live or work in East Dallas. In this article she explains some basic facts about dental veneers which are made from porcelain.

Facts About Porcelain Veneers (Laminates)

1. When a tooth is prepared for a veneer it requires approximately 0.5 mm of reduction. The procedure is therefore considered a non-reversible type of dental treatment.
2. Sometimes, when preparing a porcelain laminate veneer, it will not require the use of a local anesthetic. It depends on the patient. Of course for those patients whom have sensitive teeth or feel anxious, a local anesthetic is usually recommended.
3. The time required to make a porcelain laminate veneer is usually about a week, although it can sometimes take a little longer.
4. Every patient’s teeth are a slightly different shade. Dentists use a shade or color guide to closely match the color of the veneer to your existing teeth. Sometimes a custom shade or customized characterization may need to be done by the dental laboratory fabricating the veneer.
5. As mentioned above, a small amount of the tooth’s enamel covering is removed. For a few days after placing the temporary dental veneer, some patients may experience a little sensitivity to hot and cold drinks. This is quite normal and nothing to worry about – the sensitivity usually disappears in a few days.
6. When the final laminate veneers are bonded onto the tooth, sometimes a local anesthetic is required. The laminate is usually placed on the tooth with a resin which hardens under ultra violet light, permanently bonding the two surfaces together.
7. After porcelain veneers are bonded, the result is very strong. There is no need to change your diet or eating habits because of them. The only limitation is to remember that porcelain is strong but brittle and just like glass, can be broken. It is always best to avoid subjecting your teeth to unusual forces, such as biting something hard with your front teeth, chewing on bones, or trying to crunch very hard candy. Just using common sense is basically the golden rule.

Maintaining Your Beautiful New Porcelain Veneers

1. You should continue to regularly brush and floss your teeth as you do already – this prevents dental problems and keeps your teeth and gums healthy. You cannot damage the porcelain laminate by brushing and flossing. In fact, any non-abrasive fluoride toothpaste, which is what you should be using, is just fine.
2. If you have a habit of clinching or grinding your teeth (some people do this in their sleep), tell your dentist. Your dental practitioner will make a protective guard for your teeth which will alleviate the damage caused by continued friction between teeth.
3. After a week to ten days, your dentist will want to see you again in order evaluate your final results. This simple examination is to inspect not only the placement and alignment of the laminate but to check the surrounding gum tissue as well.
4. At each regular dental checkup, your dentist will continue to check that your veneers are in good condition and do not require remedial work which is rare but sometimes needed.
5. If for any reason you have a concern about a porcelain veneer, you should make an appointment with your dentist at the earliest time possible.

If you are considering a new smile with beautiful porcelain veneers then please contact Dr. Kelli Slate, your local dentist for East Dallas based in Lakewood.