Dental veneers are often seen as the staple of the perfect celeb look. However, over recent years more and more people are seeking options such as veneers to improve their smile.

We have developed this simple guide to help you to understand more about dental veneers and if they might be an option you wish to look at.

What are dental veneers?

Dental veneers are wafer-thin, custom-made shells of tooth-coloured materials, designed to cover the front of your teeth to improve their appearance. These shells are bonded to the front of the teeth. Dental veneers can change the colour, shape, size, width/length, they can be used to treat gaps or hide unsightly teeth.

The most common reasons dental veneers are used:

• Heavily discoloured teeth

• Worn-down teeth

• Teeth that are chipped or broken

• Create a more desirable tooth shape

• Close a space between teeth

What is the procedure for getting veneers done?

For the best results, veneers can require several visits to the dental practice. The following stages help to outline the process:

Step 1) Diagnosis and treatment planning. 

This first step involves active participation between you and your dentist. You need to be able to explain to the dentist the results you would like. Consider the key thing that you would like to address and that you are trying to achieve. Photo’s of the type of look you are after can help you to get the most out of this appointment. 

As well as the discussion, of course, the dentist will need to examine your teeth to make sure dental veneers are appropriate and discuss what the procedure will involve for you, the time frame, the cost and key considerations about the treatment. The dentist may take X-rays and take impressions of your mouth and teeth.

Step 2) Test Run! 

We appreciate that committing to having cosmetic work carried out especially on your front teeth can be a daunting task. That’s why we work closely with our laboratory to create diagnostic wax-up models of your teeth with the veneers in place. This way we can work together to see if there is anything that you would like to change before carrying out any work. 

Step 3) Preparing the teeth for veneers.

Preparing a tooth for a veneer. The treatment can be carried out comfortably while you lie back and watch a DVD from our extensive DVD menu. Your dentist will shave about half a millimetre of enamel from the tooth surface, which is roughly equal to the thickness of the veneer to be added. Your dentist will then make a model or impression of your tooth. This model is sent out to a dental laboratory, which constructs your veneers. It usually takes around 2 weeks for us to receive the veneers back from the laboratory. In which time we will make you some temporary dental veneers.

Step 4) Fitting your dental veneers. 

Before the dental veneer is permanently cemented to your tooth, the dentist will show you the teeth on the tooth models. If you’re both happy then the next step is to remove your temporary veneers. Even at this stage the dentist will place the veneers onto the tooth and check the fit and look of them before permanently cementing. They will also show you in the mirror if possible. 

Next, to prepare your tooth to receive the veneer, your tooth will be cleaned, polished, and etched, which roughens it to allow for a strong bonding process. The dentist gets a bit fussy at this point about not getting the teeth wet (it affects the glue). So they may gently guide you to keep your mouth open and they’ll go quiet whilst they concentrate. A glue cement is applied to the veneer, which is then placed on your tooth. Once properly positioned, it will be set via our blue curing light, which activates chemicals in the cement causing it to harden quickly. The final steps involve removing any excess cement, evaluating your bite and making final adjustments as necessary. Finally the exciting part! Showing you, your fantastic new smile in the mirror! 

Step 5) The review appointment. 

Aftercare is very important when it comes to dental veneers. Our Leicester dental team will ask you to return for a follow-up visit a couple of weeks after the fitting to check how your gums are responding to the veneer/s and everything fits and feels good. 

Long term maintenance

Veneers don’t last forever and most veneers aren’t reversible – meaning you can’t just have them removed and have your natural teeth. With good care and maintenance, veneers can last around 10 years. But this depends on many factors. The dentist will discuss the length of time they expect them to last for you.

Find out more about dental veneers at our Leicester dental practice…