Improve Your Smile with Porcelain Veneers

If you’re unhappy with the appearance of your teeth, veneers can help. At Pioneer Dental Group, our team, led by Dr. Behzad Binafard, DDS, offers complete dental care conveniently in our Norwalk, California office. With our on-site dental lab, we can provide a whole new custom-made smile in only about a week using porcelain veneers.

Today’s blog is all about porcelain veneers and what they can do for your smile. 

What veneers are 

Porcelain veneers are thin sheets, made of a strong but lightweight porcelain material, that fits onto the front of your teeth. They look exactly like your own teeth, feel natural, and are just as strong (or stronger) than your tooth enamel. 

While another type of veneers exists — composite resin — those veneers are much weaker, prone to staining, and have a far shorter lifespan than porcelain veneers, so our office uses only the strongest and best quality porcelain for veneers. 

What veneers can do for your smile 

Porcelain veneers can transform your smile. In general, veneers are only for cosmetic enhancement, but they can help make your teeth stronger as well. They’re usually applied to one or more of your incisors, aka the “smile teeth” that people see when you smile. 

Teeth towards the back and middle of the mouth are usually covered with crowns instead, as they cover the whole tooth. And, if your tooth is severely damaged, decayed, weakened, or has other structural issues, crowns are generally the preferred option. 

If you dislike anything about your smile, veneers could be the right choice for you. Some common reasons to consider veneers are: 

• Gaps between the teeth
• Chipped or broken teeth
• Overly pointy or square teeth
• Slightly misaligned teeth
• Very small teeth
• Deeply stained teeth 

If there’s another option to reach your smile goals — for example, Invisalign® or teeth whitening — your dentist may recommend trying that before considering veneers. 

How the veneers process works

The veneers process starts with an oral exam and X-rays. Your Pioneer Dental Group dentist discusses your goals with you, and then takes digital impressions of your teeth. 

These impressions go directly to our dental lab, where we create and produce customized veneers according to your treatment goals. We can customize everything about your veneer, including its color, to match your surrounding teeth perfectly.

It takes around a week to create your new veneers. When you return to our office, your dentist prepares the surface of your tooth by removing a miniscule amount of enamel, and applies a super-strong dental bonding material to the front of your tooth.

They can make adjustments, like shortening or shaping the veneer, before permanently attaching it to your tooth.

Your smile after porcelain veneers

After porcelain veneers, you can have the smile you dream of. One of the big advantages of porcelain veneers is that they’re permanently bonded to the front of your teeth, so they’ll last for up to 12 years (maybe even longer) with good dental care. 

To maintain your beautiful new smile, brush and floss regularly, and schedule checkups and cleanings every six months. Depending on your lifestyle and habits, your dentist might recommend wearing a night guard or mouthguard to protect your new veneers from damage. 

Ready to get started on your gorgeous new smile? We’re ready to help at Pioneer Dental Group, so contact our office online or call us to set up your consultation now.