Veneers or Laminates: Simple Steps, Remarkable Results

It's not uncommon to have chipped, stained, discolored, unevenly spaced, or even slightly crooked front teeth. Fortunately, porcelain veneers are available in such cases, enabling us to provide patients with an entirely functional, natural-looking, bright new smile. And it's not a difficult process: typically we can apply porcelain veneers in a simple three-step procedure by bonding thin, shell-like coverings to the problem teeth, thereby creating a more attractive color, shape or size. And in some cases, veneers can even provide a long-lasting, stain-resistant alternative to crowns.

Consideration & Consultation

If you’re interested in having porcelain veneers put on your teeth, Dr. Goldberg will first carefully evaluate your specific situation, listening to you explain the exact changes you have in mind. It's important to realize that in the case of certain pre-existing conditions, or damaging habits such as bruxism, you may not be a candidate for veneers at all. However, if you're a candidate, Dr. Goldberg will then do several things to help you visualize your end result. He’ll spend some time showing you photos of similar case outcomes; then he’ll obtain an impression of your mouth for a "diagnostic wax up", giving you a three-dimensional representation of the results.

Pre-operative smile showing old restorations	Old laminates after crown lengthening to optimize tooth proportions
Close up of old restorations
Conservative tooth preparations for laminates	Smile showing completed laminates
Completed laminates bonded in place

Preparation & Customization

After you’ve agreed on your desired results and a corresponding course of action, Dr. Goldberg will prepare your teeth for the veneers by reducing approximately one half of a millimeter from the surface of each recipient tooth. Occasionally, this step requires a local anesthetic. He'll then take the final mold or impression of your teeth and send it to a special professional dental laboratory. There, experts will carefully produce your veneers for a custom-fit.

Application & Protection

When the veneers are ready, Dr. Goldberg will apply them temporarily with water or glycerin, to test their fit and color. As soon as you're both completely happy with their compatibility, look, feel, and fit, he'll permanently affix them to your teeth using special dental cement or bonding agent.

As with all other restorations, you'll need to clean and floss your new smile daily! Not to mention regular dental visits for professional care and maintenance. And to protect this new investment, you may also want to discuss wearing a night-guard to prevent any accidental gritting or grinding pressure while you sleep.

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