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How Are Dental Veneers Installed?

Dental veneers treatment requires three dental visits. During the first visit, our dentist, Dr. Nikki Green, will evaluate your teeth and determine whether you are a suitable candidate for the treatment. If veneers are suitable for your condition, you will need to come back for two more sessions where the veneers will be applied.

Initial visit

During the initial visit, Dr. Green will explain how the treatment works as well as the results you can achieve with veneers. Your teeth will be examined and Dr. Green will give a detailed explanation of what you can expect as well as the limitations of the treatment. The doctor may take impressions of your teeth as well as X-rays.

Second session

For the next session, your tooth (or teeth) will be prepared for the application of dental veneers. This entails the removal of about half a millimeter of the tooth’s enamel which is roughly the same thickness of the veneer.

Dr. Green may use a local anesthetic on the area she will be working on.
After that, a model of the tooth that is being treated will be made. This model will then be sent to an offsite laboratory which will fabricate your veneers. This process can take between one to two weeks. In some cases, you may need to wear temporary veneers.

Bonding

Once your veneers arrive, you will be asked to come back to the dental office for bonding. Before the veneers are applied to the teeth and permanently cemented, Dr. Green will check the fit and color. It may be necessary to remove and trim the veneer in order to ensure proper fit. If the color needs to be adjusted, the doctor will use the appropriate shade of cement.

The tooth will then be prepared for bonding by cleaning, polishing and etching. Etching roughens the tooth which ensures a stronger bond between it and the veneer. After that, a special type of cement is applied on the veneer before it is placed on the tooth.

Once the doctor is sure that the veneer is in the right position, she will use a special type of light which activates the cement and cures it.

Finally, excess cement will be removed and the doctor will examine your tooth and make adjustments if needed.

Post-installation

A huge advantage of veneers is that these do not require special care. You can brush and floss your teeth as usual. However, if your veneers have been fabricated out of porcelain, you may need to avoid foods and beverages which can stain the teeth.

Veneers can last between seven to 20 years. However, be aware that changes in your teeth and gums can affect the veneers. Should your veneers fall off, these can be rebonded. If your veneers become chipped, these can either be rebonded or replaced entirely.

Visit or call our Fort Worth clinic for immediate advice and help.

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