Veneers

What are tooth veneers?

Often an alternative to crowns, veneers are very thin pieces of specially-shaped porcelain or plastic that are glued over the front of your teeth. They are the cure for teeth that are severely discolored, chipped, misshapen, or crooked, have small holes or pits, or have unwanted or uneven spaces that require correction.

Unlike crowns, veneers won’t require Dr. Kinn to remove much of the tooth itself, in most cases. Veneers are created from an impression taken in our office. Your custom veneer is then cemented directly onto your tooth. Veneers won’t stain, making veneers a very popular solution for many people seeking that perfect smile. Veneers are strong and very durable.

What does getting veneers involve?

Teeth are prepared for veneers by lightly buffing to allow for the small added thickness of the veneer. Veneers are thin like contact lenses, and will usually only need tooth reduction of 0.5mm to 1.0mm. If a drastic change is being made for the result you want, the reduction may be 1.0mm to 2.0mm. A mold or 3D scan is taken of the teeth, from which the veneers are modeled. Temporary veneers will be placed and worn until your permanent veneers are ready.

Dr. Kinn places the veneers with water or glycerin on the teeth to verify their perfect fit and the shade or color, as the color cannot be changed after the veneers are adhered to your teeth. The tooth is then cleansed with chemicals to achieve a durable bond. Once the cement is between the veneer and your tooth, an ultraviolet light is used to harden the glue/cement.

The procedure for Lumineers is different than the above traditional porcelain veneers. Still two visits, but there is little to no preparation of the tooth and no need for temporary veneers. In some cases, this type of veneer can be used.