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Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Porcelain Veneers

Dental imperfections can play on your mind. When you have stains, gaps, cracks, chips and crooked teeth it sometimes makes you think twice about smiling. Problem teeth can make you self-conscious and distract from the person you are and the person you want to be.

Porcelain veneers can successfully conceal multiple dental issues at once and give you a brighter more flattering appearance and a younger looking smile.

Cosmetic dental treatments aren’t just about appearance though. Improving your smile leads to more self-confidence, improved mental health and a more content, happier person. If you’re interested in improving your smile and overall wellbeing you may want to consider visiting our cosmetic dentistry clinic in Oxford.

FAQs on Porcelain Veneers

What are Dental Veneers?

A veneer is a lifelike dental restoration that can be secured to the surface of a tooth to mask a variety of minor dental flaws. These wafter-thin, translucent shells are made from durable, high-quality porcelain that closely resembles natural tooth enamel and blends in seamlessly with the surrounding teeth. 

If you’re looking for an attractive cosmetic remedy, porcelain veneers can provide beautiful results and transform your self-image. 

What’s the difference between veneers and crowns?

Crowns cover your teeth like a cap. A veneer is a thin shell that is applied to the front of your tooth with less damage to the tooth tissues.

What are the advantages of Dental Veneers?

Porcelain veneers are extremely versatile and can be used to address a wide range of dental problems; chips, gaps, and stained teeth to name a few. Our Oxford dental team uses the finest medical-grade porcelain to craft all our dental veneers. The best materials mimic your tooth enamel and can be colour-matched with neighbouring natural teeth for stunning realistic result.

You can see and feel the quality of our dental veneers as they offer remarkable strength and durability with stunning aesthetics.

Are there any disadvantages to Dental Veneers?

The process is not reversible once you’ve had your tooth prepared.  If a veneer cracks, it’s difficult to repair without having to replace the entire veneer.  We won’t recommend veneers for patients with poor gum health and warn patients prone to biting their nails or clenching their teeth that these habits can cause veneers to crack. Lastly, veneers are still susceptible to decay so it’s important you maintain optimal oral health and visit your dentist regularly.

What will my teeth look like, when they are reshaped for Porcelain Veneers?

Generally, bonded veneers require two visits to our Oxford dentists: one to shape the teeth and one to cement these natural looking restorations to the teeth. Between visits, your dentist can place attractive provisional veneers to help prevent sensitivity, allow function, and provide a beautiful smile. These temporaries are designed to be in your mouth for a limited time but should be comfortable until your new veneers are completed.

How much do Veneers cost?

Typically, a porcelain veneer costs £795 per tooth but depending on the complexity of the case this can rise. Please consult cost of porcelain veneers page and consult with your dentist to get an accurate cost.

How long do Dental Veneers last?

Correctly designed and accurately placed porcelain veneers by our experienced cosmetic dentist in Oxford can last over 10-15 years.  They do not require any special care other than regular brushing, flossing and visits to the dentist.

How strong are veneers? Are there restrictions on what I can eat?

Porcelain veneers are very strong. Nevertheless, porcelain is a glass and can crack if very strong forces are applied. It’s advised to avoid chewing ice, hard nuts, sweets and hard fruit like apples. The natural teeth are often damaged by these same foods while porcelain veneers are very resilient, they aren’t indestructible.

When do I need Dental Veneers?

Dental veneers are a great solution for people with discoloured, worn down, chipped, misaligned, uneven or irregularly shaped teeth.  Porcelain Veneers are a good solution to close a gap that may exist between your front teeth.

How do I get my new veneers to match my other teeth?

This aesthetic issue will be addressed in your cosmetic treatment planning by utilising digital smile design helping to foresee any concern, prior to reshaping your teeth. Most individuals whiten their natural teeth prior to veneers preparations, in order to be able to have their veneers in a whiter shade.

Will I get cavities with Veneers on my teeth?

There is no higher or lower prevalence of tooth decay with veneers as long as they receive appropriate care.

Do porcelain veneers stain with tea, coffee and red wine?

Porcelain veneers should never stain, however, if your teeth have a tendency to stain you should try to avoid or minimise the behaviours that lead to staining and look after them as recommended above with normal hygiene and maintenance procedures.

Will teeth-grinding this damage my porcelain veneers?

Teeth grinding will eventually damage your veneers just as this habit will grind down natural teeth. We’ll provide you with a protective bite guard to wear at night to reduce the stress on your teeth while you sleep.

Will my veneer teeth be sensitive to hot and cold?

There will likely be some sensitivity to hot and cold food and drinks for a short time due to having a thin layer of enamel removed. This should disappear in a few days. Avoiding hot and cold foods is recommended for the first few days to allow the veneers to settle.

What is a dental veneers lab process?

During the lab visit, you and our master ceramist will discuss multiple aspects of your veneers, including:

• Size
• Shape
• Colour
• Design

Meeting directly with the ceramist gives you the opportunity to participate in the customisation of your porcelain dental veneers. Our lab consistently delivers outstanding results, and we believe that the close relationship between our cosmetic dentists the lab and our patients leads to predictable outcomes.

Is the procedure reversible?

Because a very thin layer of tooth enamel must be removed to accommodate the thickness of the veneer, the process isn’t considered reversible.

Getting started with Veneers

The best candidates for porcelain veneers have one or more issues that make them unhappy with their smile. To make sure veneers are an option, our dentists will examine you for:

• Tooth decay
• Gum disease
• Overly large fillings
• Teeth grinding

What are the alternatives to Porcelain Veneers?

In the event that you are not a candidate for veneers, our dentists may recommend other options for reaching your cosmetic goals. These include:

• Teeth whitening to reduce discolouration
• Composite bonding for minor cracks, chips and breakage
• Restoration with dental crowns or bridges
• We work with the same great dental lab to develop custom crowns and other restorations
• Dental implants to replace missing teeth

Cosmetic and oral health considerations are both important when it comes to assessing your porcelain veneers candidacy. The initial exam by our restorative dentists includes a thorough discussion of how veneers can help you, as well as what aspects could limit your successful veneers treatment.

Contact us today for your consultation or arrange for a free porcelain veneer video consultation from the comfort of your own home.