Porcelain Veneers Q&A

What are the differences between porcelain veneers and crowns?

How are porcelain veneers created?

How much do porcelain veneers cost?

What are the different types of porcelain veneers

How long will my porcelain veneers last?

What are some pros and cons of porcelain veneers?

How do porcelain veneers respond to teeth whitening?

Can I fix my porcelain veneers?

What about Lumineers porcelain veneers?

How are porcelain veneers removed?

What are the differences between porcelain veneers and crowns?

The biggest difference between porcelain crowns and porcelain veneers is the amount of tooth structure removed. 
Porcelain crowns require a substantial amount of the entire tooth structure to be removed to make room for the thickness of the crown material.

A porcelain veneer on the other hand is a minimally invasive restoration option that removes very little, if any, of the existing tooth structure from the surface of the tooth. The porcelain veneer is then bonded as the final restoration. The porcelain veneer is often referred to as a “face lift” for the teeth.

Both porcelain crowns and porcelain veneers are used for cosmetic restoration purposes and depending on the patient and the situation, a porcelain veneer may or may not be an option. When talking to your cosmetic dentist about your cosmetic dental treatment, make sure you have a clear understanding of why your cosmetic dentist chose porcelain crowns over porcelain veneers.
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How Are Porcelain Veneers Created?

Porcelain veneers are created by a highly skilled dental laboratory technician.  The porcelain ceramic material is pressed onto a mold of your teeth at high temperatures in a special ceramic furnace. Created as individual units, your porcelain veneers are then designed by hand to match the natural nuances of your teeth by layering the porcelain material and then applying stain and glaze.
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How much do Porcelain Veneers Cost?

Porcelain veneers can cost anywhere from $1000 to $2000 per tooth. Our dental expert reminds patients to compare your dental treatments wisely and remember, what you get is what you pay for. The better quality and highly skilled cosmetic dentist will charge you more for your porcelain veneers, but with the higher price, you should be guaranteed a longer lasting, more beautiful porcelain veneer restoration.
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What are the different types of Porcelain Veneers?

Empress Porcelain Veneers

Empress Porcelain Veneers, San Diego are made from a porcelain designed and produced by the dental company Ivoclar. Leaders in dental technology, Empress porcelain veneers have been a standard in cosmetic dentistry across the US. Empress porcelain materials can be crafted to created naturally brilliant and radiant porcelain veneers that blend effortlessly with your natural smile. Empress porcelain veneers are generally considered the panacea of all smile design cases. Whether you want your porcelain veneers to whiten your existing teeth, close spaces and gaps, or create that overall perfect smile, Empress porcelain veneers can do it all. Empress Porcelain Veneers are often considered a better choice over other porcelain veneer options because the IPS Empress Veneer System uses the lost wax technique, which allows for ideal porcelain fit, and wears like your natural enamel. Similarly, Empress Porcelain veneers take not only esthetics into account, but focus on durability and strength. This pressed porcelain veneer system is comprised of high quality glass ceramic materials, which means you will be smiling longer and stronger in your porcelain veneers.

What materials make up Empress Porcelain Veneers?

Like all porcelain veneers, custom-made Empress Porcelain Veneers are thin ceramic wafers that are cemented to the front of your prepared teeth. Depending on the patient and case, Empress Porcelain Veneers may be cemented to your original tooth structure with little or no preparation necessary. Always ask your cosmetic dentist if minimal preparation is an option for your porcelain veneer goals. Empress Porcelain Veneers will resist the customary staining of dark foods and drink, leaving you with lasting pearly whites. The best part about Empress Porcelain Veneers, is that they look and feel so natural that no one will guess that you have porcelain veneers. When talking to your cosmetic dentist about your porcelain veneers, find out the material of choice for his dental technician.

Empress Porcelain Veneers are first modeled in wax (yup, this is the same shape that they get from the temporaries you are wearing while your final porcelain veneers are completed). Next your porcelain veneers will be vested to surround the wax framework, and placed in a high temperature furnace to shape the porcelain around the pre-designed wax framework. Empress Porcelain veneers are then completed using a layering technique, which gives more life and strength to your porcelain veneer restorations.

Da Vinci Porcelain Veneers

Da Vinci Porcelain Veneers are custom-crafted ultra-thin porcelain veneers bonded to the patient’s teeth. Similar in approach to all porcelain veneers, Da Vinci Dental Studios has spent over 25 years crafting their art of the perfect porcelain veneer restoration. Similar to other types of porcelain veneers, Da Vinci Porcelain Veneers are ideal for people with cracks, worn teeth, and minor gaps.  When properly crafted and placed, Da Vinci porcelain veneers resemble natural teeth, giving you a vibrant, self-confident smile. Generally speaking, the application of Da Vinci porcelain veneers will cost more than other porcelain veneer options. However, many people are drawn by the notoriety of the Da Vinci Porcelain Veneers have received on shows such as “The Swan” and “Extreme Makeover.” Regardless of the name of the dental studio all porcelain veneer experts would agree, research your options and understand the porcelain veneer treatment process before committing to improving your appearance with porcelain veneers. A bright, healthy smile can go a long way to making you feel vibrant and confident, with a thorough understanding of the porcelain veneer restoration process; you can go into your porcelain veneer treatment confident of the final results.
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How long will my porcelain veneers last?

Porcelain veneers can last for years, depending on how well you take care of them, and the quality of the work put in by your cosmetic dentist. When choosing your cosmetic dentist, ask her/him about his guarantees on his porcelain veneers and you can get a good indication at the quality of work you will receive. Porcelain veneers are stronger than simple dental bonding and they are also more resistant to stains and chipping. This does not mean you get to ignore regular oral hygiene. By keeping up with regularly scheduled cleaning, and daily flossing and brushing you can increase the lifetime of your porcelain veneers and improve your overall dental health. Avoid bad habits such as biting on hard candies, chewing on ice, and biting nails. Taking these few precautions will help ensure that your porcelain veneers will last a long time and keep those pearly whites looking as good as new. So take care of your investment, there’s no question that a beautiful new smile with porcelain veneers can last you a lifetime of increased feelings of confidence and make an exceptional difference in your life.
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What are some of the Pros and Cons of Porcelain Veneers?

By now you will have seen that porcelain veneers are an obvious way to brighten your smile, correcting tooth discoloration, gaps and spaces, and crooked and chipped teeth. Porcelain veneers give you that extra dose of self-confidence and it is obvious that regardless s if you are seeking an extreme makeover or just a way to smile and shine, porcelain veneers are an excellent restorative procedure that can change your life. So why not get porcelain veneers, well the major issue and one most people will consider before scheduling the procedure with their cosmetic dentist is, money. Porcelain Veneers are not cheap, but they have once been likened to driving up to a business meeting or a date in a brand new corvette.

Below is a list of a few other pros and cons to consider when deciding on whether or not porcelain veneers are right for you.

PROs of San Diego Porcelain Veneers

CONs of Porcelain Veneers

When seeking a cosmetic dental treatment, most people will find the pros of porcelain veneers far outweigh the cons. Whether you are seeking an instant orthodontic procedure, or something to correct tooth discoloration, crooked teeth, or gaps, porcelain veneers are a wonderful natural looking restoration.
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How do Porcelain Veneers respond to Teeth Whitening?

Porcelain veneers are made of a non-porous ceramic material which means they will not stain or discolor like your natural teeth. However, overtime, you’re the natural tooth can discolor with age or lack of proper oral care, and depending on how translucent the porcelain veneers are, you may see discoloration show through the porcelain veneer. The best way to avoid this type of discoloration of your porcelain veneers is to maintain a regularly scheduled cleaning with your dentist.

I am having porcelain veneers put on my front teeth. I would also like to whiten my bottom teeth. Which should I do first?

When deciding on porcelain veneers it is always best to start out with whitening of your teeth to get the desired shade prior to having porcelain veneers placed. Porcelain veneers do not whiten, so if your porcelain veneers are placed first and your natural teeth do not get as white as you thought they might, or are whiter than you expected; then your porcelain veneers will not match! It is best to tell your cosmetic dentist that you would also like to whiten your teeth prior to getting your porcelain veneers. Wait 2 to 14 days after whitening to allow the color to settle and then move forward with choosing that final color for your porcelain veneers. This way you can ensure your smile is consistent and your porcelain veneers blend naturally with the rest of your teeth. When deciding on porcelain veneers it is always best to start out with whitening of your teeth to get the desired shade prior to having porcelain veneers placed. Porcelain veneers do not whiten, so if your porcelain veneers are placed first and your natural teeth do not get as white as you thought they might, or are whiter than you expected; then your porcelain veneers will not match! It is best to tell your cosmetic dentist that you would also like to whiten your teeth prior to getting your porcelain veneers. Wait 2 to 14 days after whitening to allow the color to settle and then move forward with choosing that final color for your porcelain veneers. This way you can ensure your smile is consistent and your porcelain veneers blend naturally with the rest of your teeth.
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Can I Fix My Porcelain Veneers?

Porcelain Veneers are designed to last a long time, so once placed by your cosmetic dentist you can expect an average lifetime for your porcelain veneers to be 10 to 20 years before they need replacement. Like all things, porcelain veneers require regular maintenance and regular cleanings, as well as daily brushing and flossing to keep your porcelain veneers looking bright and healthy.
 
Sometimes factors may arise in which porcelain veneers need to be repaired or replaced before the anticipated timeline. Such considerations for early replacement or adjustments to your porcelain veneers may be as follows:

With an experienced cosmetic dentist performing the porcelain veneer procedures, it is rare to have any of the above listed concerns, and you are normally given several opportunities to give your input on the shape, size, and color of your porcelain veneer restorations before they are permanently cemented. If however, you do need to address your any of the considerations above, try talking to your cosmetic dentist for steps you both can take to fix your porcelain veneers. If you would rather seek the consultation of a new cosmetic dentist, remember to find a cosmetic dentist with extensive porcelain veneer experience, and look into all of your options. Given the problem listed above with your porcelain veneers, you may need to make a simple adjustment, do some teeth whitening, replace one veneer, or decide that you want new porcelain veneers that are better matched to your style and smile.

Old porcelain veneers can be removed, but it will require some patience and teamwork from you and your cosmetic dentist. Remember, when choosing a porcelain veneer procedure, make sure you talk to your cosmetic dentist about his/her previous experience and ask to view other porcelain veneer cases he/she has completed. Ask a Cosmetic Dentist
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What about Lumineers Porcelain Veneers?

Lumineers is the latest breakthrough in porcelain veneer technology. Lumineers are essentially an extremely thin porcelain veneer that are placed over your existing teeth. Lumineers porcelain veneers require no preparation of existing tooth structure and are a painless way to permanently whiten and straighten your teeth.

Lumineers are a minimally invasive approach to cosmetic dentistry in and a great addition to the porcelain veneer family. The Lumineers process is similar to that of alternative porcelain veneer restorations, but requires no preparation of existing teeth before the porcelain veneers are bonded to your natural tooth structure. This means that the placement of Lumineers porcelain veneers is completely reversible.
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LUMINEERS Porcelain Veneers and Instant Orthodontics

Lumineers porcelain veneers are an ideal alternative to traditional orthodontic procedures and can be used to correct misaligned teeth. Ask your cosmetic dentist if Lumineers porcelain veneers are an option for your orthodontic goals.

Who can get Lumineers Porcelain Veneers?

The indications for Lumineers porcelain veneers are for patients with crooked or uneven teeth, chipped or broken teeth, missing teeth, stained teeth, or gaps. An experienced cosmetic dentist will create and individual treatment plan based on each individual tooth structure and may determine if you are an ideal candidate for Lumineers porcelain veneers based on your dental health, smile goals, and overall function and esthetics.
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How are porcelain veneers removed?

Your San Diego cosmetic dentist should give you plenty of opportunities before the porcelain veneers are permanently cemented to voice your opinion about any changes that you want done. Once your porcelain veneers are fully cemented on your natural teeth, they are meant to remain there.

Nevertheless, there are some cases where your porcelain veneers needs to be removed or adjusted. For example:

So how difficult is it to remove a porcelain veneer once it is already placed?

Porcelain veneers are not meant to be removed, there strength and durability is one of the pros for seeking out porcelain veneers as a restorative dental treatment, your cosmetic dentist may have his own technique at removing a porcelain veneer in such cases as mentioned above.

Your cosmetic dentist may remove a damaged porcelain veneer by creating a notch in the porcelain and popping it off. The most conservative way to remove a veneer is using a Waterlase laser which disconnects the cement right through the porcelain without damaging the tooth underneath.  Using this method there is no inadvertent tooth structure is damaged as in the “notching” technique.

Once removed the porcelain veneer cannot be re-used, especially if has been damaged in some manner. Rather, your cosmetic dentist will order a new porcelain veneer from the dental lab to replace the veneer that was removed. Often times, the underlying tooth structure may be freshened up, whitened or polished to help restore the natural brilliance of your porcelain veneers.

Depending on the agreement made between you and your cosmetic dentist, the removal of a good or broken porcelain veneer may require you to endure the cost to fabricate a new porcelain veneer. So, be careful and treat your porcelain veneers with respect and they could last you a lifetime.
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Have a Porcelain Veneer question? Ask a Cosmetic Dentist