Dr. Steven F. Nielsen is a dentist and has answered some of the common questions bizymoms visitors have about porcelain veneers.
Q. What are porcelain veneers?
A. A veneer, generally speaking is a thin surface layer of something. A porcelain veneer therefore is a thin coating of porcelain bonded to the front surface of the tooth (usually a front tooth). They usually require less "drilling" than a full coverage crown and are therefore more conservative to the natural tooth.
Q. How long do dental veneers last?
A. Life expectancy varies from patient to patient, depending on how they use them and care for them. I have some patients that have had veneers over 25 years and have had no problem with them.
Q. Do dental veneers require special care?
A. Most important is good dental care, most importantly at home with good hygiene habits and secondarily with good eating habits, realizing that porcelain is quite brittle and biting hard materials (such as ice or fishing line) or teeth grinding habits risk fracturing the porcelain.
Q. Are there alternatives to dental veneers?
A. Sometimes a composite (quartz reinforced resins) can be used to achieve similar results, but they are not as strong and risk discoloring over time. Full coverage crowns are sometimes needed.
Q. Do Veneers look natural?
A. Frequently veneers are made specifically to improve the appearance of the smile. They are intended to change the existing condition. A patient may choose to have a "Hollywood Smile" made and select a bright white shade that may look gorgeous to them, but totally unnatural and unappealing to someone else. It is very important that the patient expresses what they want to achieve with veneers, so that the dentist and laboratory can work toward the goal the patient really wants. With veneers, you can maintain or change size, shape, and color of the teeth being treated. Too extreme of a makeover may look like someone else’s mouth that doesn’t match a person’s facial features, but very often veneers can be made such that an observer may notice that the patient seems happier (the patient may smile without embarrassment) but they don’t know the reason why unless the patient informs them about the teeth.
Q. Does the veneer protect one’s tooth from decay?
A. Veneers, crowns and fillings do not decay. Teeth can and do. Wherever there is natural tooth structure, decay can occur. If a veneer is done, there is risk that the uncovered part of the crown of the tooth, or the roots could experience decay in the future. A person with a history of a lot of cavities needs to be aware of the need for extra precautions and excellent home care to prevent further decay of the tooth.
Q. How much does veneer cost?
A. Exact costs vary, but should be similar in cost as a crown for a tooth.
Q. How to contact Dr. Neilson if we have further questions?
A.
Address:
371 West Fir
PO Box 525
Shelley, Idaho 83274
Phone: (208)357-7611
Email:nielstev@isu.edu
Website: SHELLEYSMILES.COM
