Porcelain Dental Veneers Process

What exactly is involved in the procedure of having dental veneers fitted?

Here at DentalKind in Billericay, we offer porcelain veneer treatment.

• As with any other cosmetic dental procedure, the first part involves consultation and examination by your dentist so that they can get a better understanding of what you require and what the treatment options are. At DentalKind, we consider this to be the most important part of the whole process. It also allows your practitioner to discuss any concerns you might have. Your dentist will explain the treatment procedure to you and also give you an accurate guide as to the likely cost of your treatment.
• Before your veneers are designed and manufactured, your dentist will need to reshape and prepare the front surfaces of your teeth so that they can accommodate the veneers. In order that you do not feel anything during the procedure, you will have your teeth and gums numbed with a painless local anaesthetic.
• Your dentist will then shave off a tiny part of the front surface of your teeth using a special dental drill. The amount of the front surface of your teeth that is removed is minimal.
• Your dentist will then take an impression or mould (copy) of your prepared teeth. This involves taking an imprint of your teeth similar to how you would leave footprints in the sand. This is done by placing special dental putty into your mouth on a tray, pushing it into your teeth and waiting for it to set.
• This mould of your teeth, known as an “impression”, is then sent to a dental laboratory. This impression is used by dental technicians to cast an accurate model of your teeth which can be used as a guide to fabricate your new veneers. Normally this process takes between one and three weeks.
• Your dentist will fit you with some temporary veneers to protect your prepared teeth while you’re waiting for your actual veneers to be fabricated. The temporary veneers may be based on a ‘mock-up’ or ‘diagnostic wax-up’ to allow you to leave with your new smile, just in a temporary material.
• At your second appointment, your dentist will fit your new veneers to your teeth. Firstly, the dentist will just sit the veneers over your teeth to see how they look when you smile.
• After checking that you’re completely pleased and happy with the result your dentist will carefully bond the veneer in place. Your teeth are cleaning and the preparations will be etched (roughened) with a special acid gel so that they provide a good surface for the dental cement to stick to. Cement is then applied to the back of the veneers and they are cemented into place. Then a special curing light is used to activate the dental cement so that it bonds the veneer permanently to the front surface of your prepared tooth. Any excess cement is usually trimmed away and polished to leave a beautiful and natural-looking restoration.
• Your dentist will show you how to clean and maintain the veneers to ensure a long-lasting result.

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