If you have always dreamed of changing your smile quickly, Dr. Ania is here for you. Dr. Ania offers porcelain veneers. Instant orthodontics, also known as porcelain veneers, can quickly change your smile. If you have misshapen or stained teeth, this is a way to easily take your smile back. Read on to learn who best benefits from veneers — and how they can give you a brand new smile almost instantly. 

What are Porcelain Veneers?

Porcelain veneers thin, custom shells of tooth-colored materials that are made to cover the front surface of your original teeth. These porcelain shells are bonded to the front of a patient’s natural-born teeth to change their appearance for the color, shape, and size they desire. 

The Best Candidates for Porcelain Veneers

While we refer to this procedure sometimes as ‘instant orthodontics,’ it is not able to correct every dental health issue a patient could have. Patients who have one of the following problems with their smile are likely to be good candidates for porcelain veneers:

• Discolored teeth due to reasons like: root canal treatment, stains from tetracycline or other medications, excessive fluoride, large resin fillings, and other causes.
• Teeth that are worn down.
• Chipped or broken teeth. 
• Misaligned, uneven, or irregularly shaped teeth (like teeth that have craters or bulges in them). 
• Teeth with gaps between them (veneers can close the space between the teeth).

The benefits of dental veneers include that they:

• Provide a natural tooth appearance.
• Are tolerated well by the gums.
• Can make your teeth appear whiter.
• Generally don’t require as much shaping as crowns do, yet they are stronger and tend to look even better. 

The Prep

Veneers aren’t done in only one appointment, however, it doesn’t take too long to redo your smile with this treatment. When you come in for your first appointment, Dr. Ania will discuss with you what will work best for your smile and how many veneers you will actually need. Typically, veneers are not placed on every single tooth in the mouth. Rather, they are only placed on the teeth that show when you smile. 

Then, your dentist will often take X-rays to evaluate the health of your teeth. If there are any signs of decay, gum disease, or other health issues, veneers may not be able to be used on your smile. 

One you have the green light to get the veneers, Dr. Ania will trim down a small part of your tooth before they take an impression of your teeth. This mold will then be sent to a lab and your veneers will be created. 

The Procedure

When your veneers are sent to the lab, we can expect them to come back within two weeks. Once your veneers come in, we will call you to schedule your appointment to come in to have them bonded to your teeth. 

When you come in for the procedure, your dentist will evaluate the fit, shape, and coloration of the veneers to make sure that they are the perfect fit. Once the fit is confirmed, we will clean your teeth before using a grinding tool to create a rough texture on each tooth so the veneer can be easily attached. 

Next, Dr. Ania will use a dental cement to bind the veneer to your tooth. We will finish by using an ultraviolet light to harden this cement quickly. 

How to Care for Veneers 

Caring for veneers begins as soon as you walk out of the dentist office. According to Healthline, porcelain veneers can last up to 15 years depending on how well you care for them. To best care for them, they suggest to take the following precautions:

• Don’t chew on hard objects like pens, ice, or even your fingernails.
• Never use your teeth to open packaging of any sort. 
• Try to not chew using your front teeth. Rather, eat harder foods with your back teeth only. If needed, cut food into small pieces so this is possible. 
• If you grind or clench your teeth at night, you will need to get a night guard to protect the veneers. 
• When playing sports, always wear a custom-fit mouthguard to protect your smile — whether you have veneers or not. 

Learn More About Porcelain Veneers with Dr. Ania

If you’re ready to learn what instant orthodontics can do for your smile, we encourage you to make an appointment with Dr. Ania today. Current technology and materials enable us to create veneers that are truly life-like. Call us today at (303)-872-9940.