What’s The Difference Between Veneers And Implants?

These are completely different in function and need. Veneers are purely cosmetic. They cover chips, stains, and other flaws on the teeth. But they simply cover those flaws. Veneers are made of thin shells of either porcelain or composite resin.Dental implants are not cosmetic; they are used to replace a missing tooth or teeth. They can be also placed around the mouth to use as anchors for full or partial dentures. Implants are made of a titanium “implant” base that screws down into the jawbone in the hole occupied formerly by the natural tooth root. The jawbone then grows around the titanium and makes it a part of the jaw. A post is attached to the implant and an artificial porcelain tooth is attached to the post. The implant then feels and functions just like a natural tooth.

Will Veneers Damage My Natural Teeth?

In order to make room for the veneers to be attached to the front sides of your teeth without making the teeth noticeably larger, a portion of the natural tooth enamel needs to be shaved off. With porcelain veneers, this is about .5 millimeter on each tooth front. With composite veneers, the amount is somewhat less as these veneers are a bit thinner. This is a permanent change to the teeth. Once the enamel has been shaved down these teeth need to be covered with a veneer (or bonding or a crown) for the duration.

How Do I Care For My Porcelain Veneers?

Treat your veneers just as you would your natural teeth. Continue to brush and floss regularly and continue dental check-ups. We recommend a non-abrasive toothpaste. Sensitivity to hot and cold may occur after placement of veneers due to the reduction of enamel on the prepared teeth. This should dissipate in one to two weeks. If sensitivity continues, inform our office. By continuing proper home care and routine dental visits, your new veneers should experience long-lasting success.

Are There Alternatives To Porcelain Veneers?

Porcelain veneers provide the most enduring, beautiful aesthetic improvements for a few reasons. Porcelain is very similar to the natural translucence of tooth enamel. Plus, dental porcelain is very resistant to staining. However, porcelain veneers cost more money. For that reason, some patients opt for composite resin veneers as described on this page. Dental bonding is another alternative to porcelain veneers. It is used more often for an individual tooth to cover issues such as a chip or staining. A porcelain crown could be viewed as an alternative, again usually for just a single tooth or two. A crown completely overlays the natural tooth all the way down to the gumline. A crown could cover a misshapen tooth. There are two alternatives that cover the tooth fronts but don’t require the removal of enamel. These are called Lumineers and Vivaneers. We don’t use these products at Golden Dental Solutions.

What Happens If I Chip Or Otherwise Damage My Veneer?

If a veneer is chipped, we can simply use your original impressions and have another veneer made to replace it. We remove the broken veneer and place the new one in a simple procedure. If a veneer dislodges, find the veneer and bring it back to us. Our doctors will glue it back onto the tooth.

This is one big difference between porcelain veneers and composite resin veneers. Porcelain veneers are almost impervious to staining. Composite resin veneers can stain, although not quite as much as your natural tooth enamel.

Do Veneers Feel Natural On The Teeth?

The veneers we use at Golden Dental Solutions are created to the precise impressions of your teeth. That’s why we shave off a portion of the enamel so that the teeth with the veneers placed on them occupy the same exact size as your natural teeth. Your veneers will feel completely natural in your mouth, and you won’t notice them when you’re talking, eating, or at any other time.

Can You Remove Veneers?

Veneers can be removed. When a set of veneers reaches its life expectancy they will need to be removed and replaced. However, veneers can’t be removed and the teeth left to their own devices. That’s because the slight bitof enamel that had to be removed to make room for the veneers. Those teeth need protection. They will always need to be covered with a veneer, composite bonding, or a crown.

Shaving the enamel from the front of your teeth doesn’t hurt. It can make your teeth slightly sensitive when they have the veneers on them for a few days, but this passes. Otherwise, the process doesn’t involve pain.

What Foods Should Be Avoided With Veneers On My Teeth?

You can guess what kinds of foods you need to be careful with, sticky foods such as caramel apples or toffee, very hard foods you bite down upon such as bones or hard candy. You also need to not chew ice, chew your fingernails, or chew on pens and the like.Otherwise, there are no dietary restrictions.

Can Veneers Be Placed On Crowns?

No. If a crown is damaged, the crown can simply be repaired or refabricated and replaced. A crown is already a prosthetic, so it makes no sense to place another rest oration atop a rest oration.

Are Veneers Covered By Insurance?

Veneers are considered to be elective/cosmetic procedures, so they are not covered by dental insurance. You can use money from a flexible spending account to pay for your veneers.

Porcelain Dental Veneers Golden CO

Here at Golden Dental Solutions, we offer two options for dental veneers: composite veneers and porcelain veneers. If you are in the Denver or Golden, Colorado areas and considering dental veneers, our practice has options for you to chose from.

What Are Dental Veneers?

Veneers are used to enhance your smile by giving you attractive, even teeth much quicker than braces ever could. These veneers are very thin and are custom-fitted and bonded to the front of the teeth. The dental veneers are natural in color as to not provide a fake appearance, but can be much whiter than your original tooth coloring.

By placing a veneer on top of a tooth, Golden, Colorado dentists, Dr. Dallas Kenson can quickly and easily help you achieve a beautiful smile.

What Are Porcelain Veneers?

Porcelain veneers, also known as indirect veneers, are thin sheets of dental porcelain that are placed on natural teeth. These types of veneers are used cosmetically and can alter the size, shape, and color of the tooth. After our doctors discuss your options and take impressions of your teeth, your porcelain veneers will be custom-made for you in a laboratory. This process usually takes a week or two. Once we receive the veneers from the lab, we can apply them to your teeth.

Two appointments are required for this process: one for the impression, and a second for preparing the natural teeth and placing the veneers once they have been created.

Porcelain Veneers resist stains better than composite veneers and better simulate the shine of natural teeth. Lumineers® and Vivaneers® are two alternative porcelain veneer options that don’t require any tooth-buffing before placement due to their thin structure.

Porcelain Veneer Benefits

While porcelain and composite veneers have similar end goals, porcelain veneers offer some advantages. Benefits of porcelain veneers include:

Durability
Resistance to staining
Effective and efficient treatment
Improve and enhance smile

What Are Composite Veneers?

Composite veneers are made of composite resin, and are more commonly used to fix cracks and chips in the teeth. Composite veneers differ from porcelain veneers largely because they can be placed in just one visit to our office. These veneers are much faster and more efficient while also costing significantly less money. These are thinner and require less removal of the natural tooth surface before placement. They can expand and contract with natural fluctuations in tooth size, which makes it the perfect choice for repairing fractured teeth.

Composite Veneer Benefits

While many people would agree that porcelain veneers are the stronger of the two options, there are some advantages composite veneers hold. These benefits include:

Low cost
Fast placement (one trip vs two trips)
Repairable
Immediate results

Candidates For Veneers

Veneers can correct a variety of problems a rest ore your beautiful smile. These problems include:

Spaces between the teeth
Chipped teeth
Yellowing or stains
Misshapen or crooked teeth
Small holes or pits in teeth
Uneven or undersized teeth

If you relate to any of these situations listed above, you may be a good candidate. Call our office today to schedule your consultation for dental veneers.

If you have decay, gum disease or weakened teeth, veneers may not be an option for you. Also, if you clench or grind your teeth, they may not be the best option as they can still chip or crack. If any of these conditions sound like you, we have other options to help correct them.

Dental Veneers Before And After Photos

Porcelain Dental Veneers Treatment in Denver CO

Porcelain Dental Veneers Treatment in Golden CO

Porcelain Veneer Placement Process

The placement of porcelain veneers will require three appointments for the following:

Diagnosis and Treatment Planning

During your first appointment, Dr. Dallas Kenson will examine your teeth to make sure dental veneers are appropriate. They may need to take an X-ray at this time. Our doctors will also discuss the corrective abilities and limitations of the procedure so you are fully aware of the outcome. At this time you may also have the opportunity to take an active role in designing and discussing your rest orative veneers.

Preparation

At your second appointment, the teeth receiving the veneers are lightly buffed to prepare the surface for maximum adhesion. During this process, the teeth are typically reduced by approximately one half of a millimeter.

From here, an impression is taken of the teeth to be sent to the lab for creation of your custom-made veneers. If you are uncomfortable with the appearance of your natural teeth after buffing, a temporary veneer can be placed. The custom veneers are usually ready in one to two weeks.

Bonding

At your third appointment, the dentist will test the veneers on your teeth with water or glycerin to determine that they are perfect in fit and color. If the color is not what you want, it can still be adjusted by altering the shade of the cement used to adhere it. Once the color is finalized, chemicals are applied to the tooth to optimize the bonding. Dental cement is then applied to the teeth and veneer. A special light is used to quickly harden the cement and give you a beautiful, long-lasting new smile.

Frequently Asked Questions

Most dental veneers are permanent and are bonded very tightly to the tooth they are protecting, but there are some removable options. Some types may last for 20 years or more due to new and improved bonding agents.

Schedule a Consultation With Golden Dental Solutions

If you are interested in veneers and would like to see if you are a good candidate, call (303) 277-9600 to schedule a consultation. Our practice proudly serves patients from Denver, Arvada, Golden and surrounding areas.

Porcelain Dental Veneers in Golden & Lakewood, CO