Dr. James Sanderson is a Dentist who has answered some of the common questions bizymoms visitors have about Porcelain Veneers.
Q. What are porcelain veneers?
A. Porcelain Veneers are very thin coverings of porcelain on the front of the teeth that can help change color, size and shape discrepancies in a patient’s smile. We have found that it is very important to create symmetrical smiles... And laser gum recontouring has become an integral part of many of these procedures.
Porcelain Veneers can be made with and without preparation of the teeth (removal of enamel). The decision to remove enamel or not to remove enamel is made based on what the patient and the doctor expect the outcome to be.... Many times we use a wax up technique to help to make those decisions... In other words we take the models of the patient’s teeth and we modify them with wax to create what appears to be an ideal outcome... Then we apply that to the mouth prior to having the veneers prepared to "see" if what we expected is actually what we are going to be able to accomplish.
Q. How long do dental veneers last?
A. I have seen Veneers last 15 to 20 years or more... I have also seen them last only a couple of years....
How long they last depend on many factors....
The technique & planning used by the doctor,
The Laboratory technique,
The way that the patient takes care of the Veneers before and after they have been bonded to their teeth. (How they clean them, whether or not they open things like beer bottles or not etc....),
The bite of the patient,
Whether or not the patient smokes,
Q. Do dental veneers require special care?
A. They require the same excellent kind of care that your very valuable teeth also deserve!
Q. Are there alternatives to dental veneers?
A. Yes, there are alternatives to Veneers.
You can choose not to restore the teeth at all...
If all what the patient wants is to change the color of the teeth, then it may be possible to use the Laser or something like the Zoom Lamps to help to Whiten the teeth... This may or may not lead to a completely predictable outcome.
Q. Do Veneers look natural?
A. My experience is that Veneers do indeed look very natural... If all of the diagnostic steps have been taken ahead of time....
Q. Does the veneer protect one’s tooth from decay?
A. No restoration will completely protect the tooth from decay.
Q. What does a veneer cost?
A. Veneers may vary in cost. Some Doctors charge $800.00 per Veneer and I have also seen Fees of $2,500.00 and up per Veneer. Fees may also be $1,000.00 to $1,300.00 per tooth depending on what may need to be done to the tooth. This would not include any root canal treatment etc.
Q. How to contact Dr. Sanderson if we have further questions?
A.
Address:
1633 Montgomery Highway, Suite 5
Birmingham, AL 35216
Phone: 205-979-6005
Email: jlsdmd@gmail.com
Website:www.SanDentistry.com
