Porcelain Veneers – Carlsbad, CA
One Solution for Many Dental Flaws
Are you looking for a straighter, brighter, flawless smile? You’re not alone, and many patients believe the only way to accomplish their smile perfection goals is to invest countless hours and dollars into a complex orthodontic, restorative, or cosmetic dentistry plan. Lucky for patients of Polished General Dentistry, there is an easier option – porcelain veneers. In just two short visits, we can completely transform your smile, leaving you with a flawless, healthy appearance. If you want to learn more about porcelain veneers or other treatment options, contact our Carlsbad dental team to schedule your cosmetic dentistry consultation to discuss smile enhancement, using porcelain veneers in Carlsbad, CA. Our skilled dentist, Megan A. Shelton, DMD, will evaluate your smile, discuss your goals, and help you find the perfect treatment option to fit your needs, budget, and schedule.
Who Should Consider Porcelain Veneers?
Veneers are thin sheaths of dental grade porcelain custom crafted to fit over the front facing surfaces of teeth. Any patient who wants a simple way to transform their smile should consider porcelain veneers. This cosmetic treatment will seamlessly conceal and correct a number of chips, cracks, stains, and gaps in the smile. In fact, for patients with otherwise healthy teeth and a functional bite, porcelain veneers can be an alternative to a number of more advanced procedures like orthodontics or dental crowns.
How are Porcelain Veneers Placed?
The porcelain veneer placement process is completed in two appointments. During your initial visit, we numb the area to be treated and prepare the teeth. This typically includes removing a minimal amount of surface tooth enamel to allow us to lay the veneer flat within the smile line. Once teeth are prepared, we capture impressions of your bite. These impressions aid our trusted dental lab in crafting your custom veneers. Finally, we place a protective temporary veneer that will prevent damage to prepared teeth and allow you to grow accustomed to the look and feel of your new smile. Once we receive the final product from our lab, you’ll return for your second visit. These appointments are typically much shorter than the initial preparation visit. We simply need to remove the temporary and replace it with the custom porcelain veneers.
How Do I Care for my Porcelain Veneers?
Porcelain veneers need to be cared for just like natural teeth. However, you may need to make a few minor changes to your oral hygiene products to avoid excessive wear. You’ll need to use a soft or ultra-soft bristled toothbrush. You should also switch to a minimally abrasive toothpaste. Dr. Shelton can recommend some options following your treatment. Otherwise, you should continue to brush for two minutes at a time twice a day, floss daily, and visit our Carlsbad dental office twice a year.
Benefits of Porcelain Veneers
No cosmetic dentistry treatment is right for every patient. It’s important to completely understand your treatment options and feel confident in the cosmetic solution you select. For patients who do decide to move forward with porcelain veneers, there are numerous benefits including:
- One simple cosmetic treatment to correct multiple concerns in just two short treatment visits
- The conservative and minimally invasive process means you’re comfortable throughout the entire treatment process
- Natural looking and feeling veneers are long lasting and stain resistant, so your smile stays beautiful for years to come
Veneer FAQs
If you have multiple dental imperfections, you’re probably thinking about getting veneers in Carlsbad. They’re the quickest and most effective way to get the smile you’ve always wanted! Since the procedure is irreversible, it’s completely normal to have a few concerns before committing to treatment. At Polished General Dentistry, we want to be as helpful as possible throughout your smile transformation. That’s why we’ve decided to answer some of the most common questions we receive from patients about veneers. If you’d prefer to speak directly with a member of our team, don’t hesitate to reach out!
Are Veneers Permanent?
Since veneers eventually have to be replaced, they’re not considered a permanent cosmetic solution. However, the process of getting them is irreversible. During your first appointment, Dr. Shelton will remove a thin layer of enamel to ensure the veneers fit properly on the teeth. Unlike hair and nails, the enamel will never grow back once it’s removed. For that reason, prepared teeth will always need to be covered by veneers or crowns.
Is There Anything I Can’t Eat with Veneers?
Once your teeth are prepared, you’ll receive temporary veneers to wear while you wait for your permanent ones to be made. During that time, you’ll need to be cautious with hard foods (i.e., ice, fruits, vegetables, candy) and sticky foods (i.e., caramel, toffee, gum) as they can damage your restorations. After your permanent veneers are placed, you can enjoy most of your favorite food once again. Just make sure you drink alcohol sparingly because it can weaken the bonding material used to cement your veneers to your teeth.
Do Veneers Give You a Lisp?
When you first get veneers in Carlsbad, you may have difficulty making certain sounds or saying specific words. That happens because the tongue is not used to talking with veneers. Even though the restorations are ultra-thin, the tiny difference in thickness affects how the tongue moves. The good news is that any lisp you develop will go away as soon as you adjust to your new smile. You can speed up the adjustment process by reading aloud, having more conversations with loved ones, and repeating difficult-to-pronounce sounds. If needed, you can ask Dr. Shelton to slightly reduce the thickness of veneers in certain areas.
Can Veneers Be Used for Bite Corrections?
It depends! Since veneers cannot change the actual position of the teeth or jaw, their effectiveness for treating bite problems will vary based on the severity of the issue. For instance, patients with a mild open bite may benefit from veneers because they can make the teeth look longer and wider, making them appear to line up correctly. They can also mask tiny gaps between the teeth. It’s worth noting that Dr. Shelton will only recommend veneers for bite issues that don’t cause significant oral health problems.
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