If you have teeth that are misaligned or an undesirable color, you may be considering dental veneers as a way to improve your smile. This cosmetic dental procedure is accessible to many patients and can provide the exact results that you are looking for. Here is an overview of the dental veneer process.
Consultation
Everything starts with a consultation. You'll need a dentist to look at your teeth and let you know if you would be a good candidate for dental veneers. They'll take x-rays to get a good idea at what is happening underneath your gums and let you know what is involved with moving forward with dental veneers.
Trial Veneers
Your dentist may recommend that you get a set of trial veneers if you are going to make some big changes to the look of your teeth. This involves taking an impression of your teeth to create a model made out of wax that simulates the length and shape of the dental veneers. This mold goes on top of your old teeth to give you a good idea of whether you will like the final look.
Preparation
Dental veneers require that a thin layer of enamel be removed from your teeth in order for them to work. You shouldn't have to worry about any pain, since the dentist will numb your mouth. Removing the enamel also creates space for the veneers to attach to the surface of the teeth and not feel uncomfortable. The dentist will then take an impression of your teeth to record the exact shape that they are in with the removed enamel.
Temporary Veneers
You'll be given a temporary set of dental veneers to help protect your teeth while the final veneers are being made. This fabrication process for the veneers can take a couple of weeks, which is why those temporary veneers are needed.
Placement
Your mouth will be numbed once again for the placement procedure. The dentist will take their time to prepare each individual veneer and place it on the appropriate tooth. The dentist uses UV light to harden dental cement on the back of the veneer surface, which ensures that the veneer is not going anywhere.
Want to know more about having dental veneers installed on your teeth? Meet with a local cosmetic dentistry professional for a consultation. They'll help teach you about how veneers can change your smile and make it look great.
Our oral surgery and general dental website offers important information on how to prevent dry socket following a tooth extraction. After getting your tooth pulled, a protective blood clot develops over the extraction site. Many of our blog posts explain how this protective clot helps promote healing after an extraction.
You'll learn that if the clot is accidentally dislodged, dry socket may occur, which can raise your risk for infection and heavy bleeding. We'll provide you with important tips on how to prevent this by avoiding smoking and drinking through a straw. You'll also learn that swishing water around your mouth should be avoided for a couple of days following your extraction because doing so creates a suction that may dislodge your clot, leading to dry socket.