Dr. Chad Sheron 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 thin porcelain restorations that are bonded onto the outer surface of teeth to change the color, size, and shape of the teeth. They typically take two appointments to finish. One to prepare the teeth surfaces, take impressions, and place temporary veneers. A dental laboratory will take a few weeks to fabricate the porcelain and the patient returns after two weeks to remove the temporaries, do a try-in to verify the patient like the esthetics, and then permanently bond them into place. These days if the position of the teeth allow, we can do "no prep" veneers where we don’t have to anesthetize the area. We just recontour a few of the surfaces and take an impression without having to temporize the teeth.
Q. How long to dental veneers last?
A. A good ballpark figure is about 10 years but that can vary depending on a person’s bite, chewing habits, and possible night time grinding.
Q. Do dental veneers require special care?
A. Veneers in general will do great with normal function. But things like opening bottle caps with them, biting into grandma’s peanut brittle, etc. are not going to help the longevity.
Q. Are there alternatives to dental veneers?
A. Yes, sometimes a little tooth whitening and some selective tooth colored fillings will dramatically change a person’s smile and for a fraction of the cost of porcelain veneers. Orthodontics is always a good option because it doesn’t involve any tooth preparation. Amongst veneers there are two possibilities. One is porcelain veneers and the other is composite resin bonded veneers. The composite resin is the same material we do tooth-colored fillings with. They are done in one visit and for about half the cost of porcelain veneers. The trade off is that they may not have the natural beauty and translucency that porcelain veneers can have.
Q. Do Veneers look natural?
A. Yes, they can look very natural. But it all depends on the patient. Some people want a really white smile. It may look a little unnatural to some but to them they are fantastic. That is why we custom-make each person’s treatment plan towards their needs and desires.
Q. Does the veneer protect one’s tooth from decay?
A. A veneer does not protect against decay and great oral hygiene must still be practiced to ensure their longevity.
Q. How much does veneer cost?
A. A ballpark figure is about $1,000 per porcelain veneer and roughly half of that for a composite veneer. Most people tend to show at least their front six teeth when speaking or smiling and would veneer those six teeth for a "smile makeover". But again, there is a wide variety and lots of options. So if you are interested just see your dentist for a consultation and go over all the potential ways you could go. And remember, sometimes $200 spent on custom whitening trays will give you the most bang for the buck and is a great starting point for anybody looking to change their smile for the better.
Q. How to contact Dr. Sheron if we have further questions?
A.
Address:
1200 NE 99th Street Vancouver, WA 98665
Phone: (360) 573-8181
Email: csheron@sherondental.com
Website: http://www.sherondental.com/
