Given the option to improve your smile, you want to incorporate the best cosmetic dental treatment available. Among the available options is having porcelain veneers fitted for better teeth aesthetics. Normally, the dental procedure is non-invasive and provides excellent results for patients. However, the work quality geared towards your results greatly depends on your dentist’s experience. Sometimes, the medical professional may have minimal interactions with porcelain veneer installations, resulting in substandard work. Consequently. You will be dissatisfied with the outcome considering the amount paid for the service. You can avoid dealing with subsequent complications by working with a well-established cosmetic dentist.
At La Puente Advanced Dentistry, you will find the best practitioners with a wealth of experience to deliver your expectations. The team has worked on numerous porcelain veneers installations over the years, equipping them with the required skill. Further, you will benefit from their compassionate and accommodating services geared to reduce your worries. Your dentist is therefore happy to listen to your concerns and provide workable solutions. Additionally, your treatment is specialized for your unique needs to optimize the chances of a successful outcome. You can access the dental services in La Puente, California by scheduling an appointment.
What Porcelain Veneers are
You may have heard the word veneers commonly used around you to describe synthetic structures resembling your crown that cover your teeth. The small structures act as a cover or shell to replace or reshape a specific part of your tooth for a better appearance.
There are various materials used to produce veneers, including porcelain. Your dentist will guide you accordingly upon consulting about the most suitable veneers for your case. Often, the factors influencing your decision involve cost and durability, to help you receive value for money. Due to this, you want to conduct some research before your appointment to help you weigh your options. Doing so will help you appreciate the dentist's input more.
When patients have the veneers installed, they can expect them to last for years without deterioration. This is because the porcelain material used to create veneers is high-quality and durable. Your cosmetic dentist works closely with reputable porcelain designers to ascertain that the veneer's quality is as required. Despite this, you will receive additional care tips to improve your maintenance routine as discussed below.
Further, you do not have to worry about pain during the veneers placement process. Since the structures cover external parts of the teeth, your nerves are not in contact. As a result, you will not experience discomfort or pain, making the installation process smooth and bearable.
Why You Need Porcelain Veneers
Patients considering having porcelain veneers fitted want to make an informed decision, based on how effective the fixtures are. Understanding the different teeth problems that porcelain veneers fix is important because it provides realistic goals of how the treatment outcome looks like. Thus, you can consult your dentist on the current teeth problems you face to determine whether veneers provide a solution. Common teeth problems that porcelain veneers can solve include:
- Teeth misalignment
- Teeth gaps
- Chipped and misshapen teeth
- Cracked and damaged enamels
- Tooth discoloration
Preparing for Porcelain Veneers Installation
Upon deciding on porcelain veneer treatment, you want to anticipate the dental process to help you prepare for your consultations. Thus, understanding the pre-treatment and installation procedures will be advantageous. You will also have a chance to ask questions or raise concerns in case of uncertainties. Some important details on your treatment process are further discussed below.
Pre-Treatment Steps
When you walk into your dental clinic for the first time, you will undergo a series of pre-treatment procedures. Your dentist aims to obtain as much information on your dental structure as possible, as it forms the reference point for the design of the veneer. The initial consultation, therefore, involves more examinations and questions to help the dentist derive important details. The main pre-treatment procedures are:
Inquiring on Your Medical History
An experienced dental professional is interested in their patient's medical history, as it may contain crucial information that influences the current treatment. For example, a patient with dental implants in place of natural teeth should disclose the information to their dentist to help with treatment.
Additional details like non-exposure to X-rays are necessary to disclose because you will need to have imaging done. If you should not come close to devices emitting radiation, your dentist will seek alternative imaging techniques for your treatment.
Taking X-Ray Images
Once your dentist clears you for X-ray imaging, you will proceed to the radiology room for the procedure. Usually, it takes less than two minutes to complete if the technician is ready for you. However, some dental clinics may require you to have the imaging done in a separate facility and have the results forwarded to them.
Making Impression Study Models
Thirdly, your dentist uses study models as a crucial reference point for teeth dimensions. The structure is developed by taking mold impressions of your teeth using special dental clay. Your dentist will mix the mold and transfer it to a dental tray. Next, they will insert it in your upper and lower jaw to obtain the teeth impressions. When the mold dries, it leaves an accurate replica of your dental structure for the dentist's reference.
Conducting a Physical Medical Examination
Lastly, your dentist will conduct a general physical examination of your teeth. They do this to establish the exact tooth defect or misalignment problem you face. During the examination, you may have to open your mouth wide, assume a bite position and smile several times. Your dentist will also use several inspection tools that serve as tiny mirrors on each tooth. The examination procedure is a straightforward and painless process that lasts for only a few seconds or minutes.
Receiving Temporary Veneers
After the dentist takes on your case, they require a preparation period to develop the veneers. The procedures follow intricate steps geared towards achieving an accurate replication of your teeth. Subsequently, you will not have the veneers fitted after your first consultation to allow for the required development steps to conclude.
In the meantime, your dentist will provide temporary veneers made of lighter material for use. These temporary structures will help you become accustomed to new fittings in your teeth. Further, you will receive an interim solution to your dental problem, primarily if it is severe.
For example, patients with sharp tooth edges from broken teeth are at risk of constant irritation and bleeding. Using the temporary veneers will ease the pain and discomfort as the permanent versions are prepared.
Veneer Designs
Veneers vary in design, as some patients prefer replacing a significant part of the tooth while others only need a small chunk covered. Due to this, your dentist will use the study models and X-ray images to create designs suitable for your teeth.
The duty requires accuracy, as improper veneer fittings will be difficult to install. Moreover, inaccurate designs can cause painful and non-effective outcomes, as the affected tooth area is uncovered.
Thus, a design team collaborates with the dentist to help study the impression models, X-ray images, and any other sources to help create teeth dimensions. Once they match your teeth measurements, the veneers are ready for production. This involves carving small porcelain pieces to replicate the design models. Eventually, your veneers are ready for fitting with each piece customized to your tooth dimensions.
Color Tinting
Every patient has a natural tooth color resulting from their general oral hygiene, to their genetics. Subsequently, the porcelain veneers should match your natural teeth color for a more natural look. Achieving this aesthetic required special color tinting to help create a realistic replica of your enamel appearance.
The porcelain veneers developers will undertake this step as the final one before you are ready for the installation process. Typically, the tinting takes a short time to complete provided your dentist took accurate photos of your teeth. They will serve as the color reference for the final look, so the photo lighting should match the teeth color shade in real life.
Attaching Venners to Each Tooth With Dental Cement
The final step involves attaching the porcelain veneers onto each tooth using adhesive dental cement. This material is made of strong composite elements that strengthen the bond between your natural enamel and the porcelain.
Since the veneers are custom made to fit different teeth structures, they are different in shapes and sizes. Therefore, your dentist will pay attention to each tooth, adding the cement adhesive in suitable amounts for a firm installation. Upon attaching the two surfaces, the dentist then allows the cement to dry up and repeats the process for all teeth set for veneers.
Afterward, you can enjoy a firm grip that allows you to continue using your teeth normally. Biting and chewing should continue as before. However, you will need to exercise more caution when biting hard foods to avoid applying extra pressure on the adhesive blocks of cement. Doing so can increase the chances of veneer dislodgement.
Aftercare Tips After Porcelain Veneers Installation
Doubtless, the porcelain used to develop your veneers is durable and can therefore remain intact for years. Nonetheless, your dentist will provide several aftercare tips to help you maintain the veneers. Thanks to the advice you receive, you can avoid spending more on repairs and replacements on your veneers. Some aftercare tips to follow include:
Maintain Good Oral Hygiene
Brushing your teeth at least twice a day should be a routine habit, as it prevents disease-causing microbes from attacking your dental structure. Therefore, you want to continue brushing your teeth after having porcelain veneers installed. Not only will you prevent bacteria from spreading, but you will also help retain your teeth’s natural shade. This goes a long way in preventing inconsistent coloration that affects your overall aesthetic.
Avoid Biting Hard Food or Items
Additionally, you should avoid biting or chewing on hard foods, as the pressure may displace the porcelain veneers. However, the restriction should not limit you from enjoying a wide food variety, provided you remain conscious of the pressure applied to your teeth. Constant exposure to excess pressure may dislodge the veneers, resulting in the need for additional procedures.
Further, biting into hard items to try and open them is also discouraged because of the pressure applied to your teeth. For example, opening a sealed bottle top is damaging to your teeth, with or without the veneers. As a result, you should observe the restrictions to maintain your new teeth fixtures.
Schedule Regular Dental Check-ups
Your dentist should also have a chance to conduct dental examinations after installing the porcelain veneers. They do this to ensure the veneers are attached to your tooth enamel securely to prevent dislodgement accidents.
Moreover, the check-ups are useful in detecting other possible conditions arising after your porcelain installment. For example, gum disease may cause your teeth to become loose, resulting in loss of teeth. The outcome would render the porcelain veneer installation procedures redundant, as your crown is dislodged.
Your dentist can help you avoid the extreme outcome by detecting conditions like gum disease early enough. In doing so, you do not have to lose your teeth and schedule additional dental procedures to restore your smile.
Manage Teeth-Grinding and Jaw-Clenching Behavior
Some patients are prone to clenching their jaws or grinding teeth as a response to various body triggers. For example, patients suffering from jaw misalignments feel the need to clench them to achieve a comfortable position when the mouth is shut. Similarly, stress, idleness, or anxiety can trigger you to grind your teeth constantly.
A repeat of these behaviors will erode your enamel from the friction. Hence, you will have significant teeth damage, including on your porcelain veneers. Your dentist will recommend separate treatment to help you manage the habits for better veneers protection.
Usually, the dentist prescribes a mouth device to wear when going to sleep, as most patients grind teeth or clench their jaws at this time. The device is custom made to fit your mouth using teeth impressions as the reference point. Thus, you do not have to worry about extreme discomfort in your sleep.
The Cost of Porcelain Veneers in California
Since porcelain veneers are made of durable and aesthetically fitting material, they cost more than other types of veneers available for fitting. Subsequently, you can expect to pay between $1500 to $5000 for each tooth veneer. The price varies depending on various factors, meaning you may pay significantly less compared to a different patient.
Among the various factors affecting the price is the number of teeth requiring porcelain veneer covers. For example, if you require treatment for four teeth, you will pay four times the cost of a single porcelain veneer fixture. Since different patients have varying needs, price fluctuation is expected.
Moreover, your dentist’s location and mode of operation may increase or decrease the total cost, based on what is included. If your dentist requires you to pay consultation fees for each consultation and examination, your total cost goes up. On the other hand, a one-time consultation fee pending the veneer fixtures results in a significant price drop.
Some patients may also require a specific color shading for their veneers beyond the regular requirements. This may be to help improve how the veneers fit in with the patient’s natural teeth. Hence, if the porcelain veneers require custom shading, you may have to spend more on the total cost.
You should also remember that most insurance covers do not cater to porcelain veneer installations. They are generally considered to be cosmetic procedures that lack medical urgency. Following this logic, your insurance provider may expect you to save separately for the procedures instead of covering the cost.
Consequently, you want to be financially ready for the expenses, on top of other pretreatment procedures that your dentist may recommend. For example, you can explore the payment plan available in your dental clinic for easier saving.
Typically, most dental offices are open to accommodate your financial needs and will be amenable to a structured payment plan. It may involve making a deposit payment followed by monthly installments, or irregular payments spread out for a specific period. Regardless of the payment option, you select your dentist’s goal is to help you attain your desired dental aesthetic through the veneers installation process.
Contact a La Puente Cosmetic Dentist Near Me
Naturally, we all want to look our best by improving our bodily appearance. This involves exploring cosmetic dentistry options like porcelain veneers to take your smile to the next level. In doing so, you will not only receive great medical treatment but will also improve your confidence drastically. In return, you will be better at presenting yourself and achieving your goals. When you decide to have porcelain veneers installed, you want to partner with a highly experienced dentist who understands the general procedure to undertake. Further, they should be conscious of the intricate details to observe for an overall desired outcome.
While many dental practitioners are available in the country, working with La Puente Advanced Dentistry is a brilliant choice. They are skilled in multiple dental practice areas, including cosmetic dentistry. This, therefore, sets them above the rest, as they understand the important aspects to consider before porcelain veneer installations. Furthermore, their friendly and reliable team is always ready to support patients depending on the concerns you raise. In doing so, their goal is to accommodate you and help you access the best dental services in La Puente, California. If you or a loved one requires more information on porcelain veneers, contact us today at 626-626-7075.
