A beautiful smile can transform your appearance and boost your confidence in every aspect of life. When teeth are chipped, stained, misaligned, or otherwise imperfect, it can affect how you feel about yourself and how others perceive you. Dental veneers offer a versatile cosmetic solution that can address multiple aesthetic concerns simultaneously, creating the stunning smile you’ve always dreamed of having.
At Sonrisa Family Dental, we create custom porcelain veneers that look completely natural while dramatically improving your smile’s appearance. Our skilled team combines artistry with advanced dental technology to design veneers that complement your facial features and personality. We accept most insurance plans, including Medicaid and Medicare for orthodontics and oral surgery, making quality cosmetic dentistry more accessible to our community. Our bilingual staff ensures that every patient fully understands their treatment options and feels confident throughout the veneer process.
What Are Dental Veneers?
Dental veneers are ultra-thin shells of porcelain or composite resin that are permanently bonded to the front surfaces of your teeth. These custom-made restorations are designed to mimic the natural appearance of tooth enamel while correcting various cosmetic imperfections. Veneers can transform the color, shape, size, and alignment of your teeth in just a few appointments.
The veneer process involves removing a small amount of tooth enamel to accommodate the thickness of the restoration. This ensures that your veneered teeth maintain a natural appearance and proper bite alignment. Once bonded in place, veneers become an integral part of your teeth and function just like natural enamel.
Conditions Veneers Can Address
Veneers can correct a wide range of cosmetic dental concerns, making them one of the most versatile treatments in cosmetic dentistry. Common issues that veneers can address include severely stained or discolored teeth that don’t respond well to whitening treatments, particularly those caused by medications or internal tooth damage.
Chipped, cracked, or worn teeth can be restored to their original beauty with veneers. Minor spacing issues, slightly crooked teeth, or teeth that appear too small can be corrected without orthodontic treatment. Veneers can also improve the appearance of teeth with unusual shapes or sizes, creating a more uniform and attractive smile.
Beyond correcting dental imperfections, veneers can enhance your overall facial appearance. They can make teeth appear longer, wider, or more proportionate to your face. Veneers can also improve your lip support and create a more youthful appearance by restoring volume to your smile.
The Veneer Treatment Process
The veneer process typically requires two to three appointments over several weeks. During your initial consultation, we evaluate your teeth and discuss your aesthetic goals to determine if veneers are the right choice for you. We examine your bite, gum health, and overall oral condition to ensure successful treatment outcomes.
At your preparation appointment, we carefully remove a small amount of enamel from the front surfaces of your teeth. This step is usually performed under local anesthesia for your comfort. We then take detailed impressions of your prepared teeth, which are sent to our dental laboratory, where skilled technicians craft your custom veneers.
Temporary veneers protect your prepared teeth while your permanent restorations are being created. These temporaries give you a preview of your new smile and help you adjust to the feel of your veneered teeth. We schedule your final appointment once your custom veneers are ready, typically within two to three weeks.
Final Placement and Bonding
During your final appointment, we carefully evaluate the fit, color, and appearance of your new veneers before permanent placement. We may make minor adjustments to ensure perfect alignment and comfort. Once you’re completely satisfied with the appearance, we permanently bond the veneers to your teeth using special dental cement and curing lights.
The bonding process creates a strong, lasting connection between the veneer and your natural tooth. We check your bite and make any necessary adjustments to ensure comfortable function. You’ll leave our office with your beautiful new smile ready to show off to the world.
Caring for Your Veneers
Proper care helps ensure your veneers maintain their beauty and function for many years. According to the Cleveland Clinic, veneers typically last 10-15 years with proper care. Daily oral hygiene remains essential, including brushing twice daily with a non-abrasive toothpaste and flossing regularly around your veneered teeth.
While veneers are durable, they can chip or crack under excessive force. Avoid biting hard objects such as ice, fingernails, or pen caps. If you grind or clench your teeth, we may recommend a custom night guard to protect your veneers while you sleep.
Regular dental checkups and professional cleanings help maintain your veneers and monitor their condition over time. We examine your veneers at each visit and address any concerns before they become serious problems.
Protecting Your Investment
Several habits can help extend the life of your veneers and keep them looking their best:
- Avoid staining substances: While porcelain veneers resist stains, the bonding material at the edges may discolor over time from coffee, wine, or tobacco use.
- Use proper oral hygiene tools: Choose soft-bristled toothbrushes and non-abrasive toothpastes to avoid scratching the veneer surface during daily cleaning.
- Protect against trauma: Wear a mouthguard during sports and avoid using your teeth as tools to prevent chips or cracks.
- Address teeth grinding: Use a custom night guard if you clench or grind your teeth during sleep to prevent damage.
- Maintain regular dental visits: Professional monitoring helps detect and address potential issues early before they become serious problems.
- Follow dietary recommendations: Limit extremely hard foods that could damage your veneers, such as ice, hard candies, or nutshells.
These preventive measures help ensure your veneers continue to look beautiful and function properly for many years.
Contact Sonrisa Family Dental
Transform your smile with custom porcelain veneers that look and feel completely natural. Our experienced cosmetic dentistry team combines artistic vision with technical precision to create stunning results that enhance your confidence and quality of life. We’re committed to helping every patient achieve the beautiful smile they deserve.
Ready to discover how veneers can transform your smile? Schedule your cosmetic consultation today to learn more about the veneer process and explore your options for achieving the perfect smile. Our convenient Chicago locations make it easy to access expert cosmetic dental care close to home. Visit our contact form to book your appointment and take the first step toward your dream smile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I need a veneer or a crown?
Determining if a veneer is suitable or a full-coverage crown is required depends on the extent of the tooth’s defects and the remaining amount of healthy tooth structure. For teeth with imperfections that cannot be remedied with a teeth whitening procedure, dental veneers often provide the desired cosmetic improvements. However, a significantly undersized, misshapen, chipped, or darkly stained tooth usually requires a full coverage crown.
Do veneers look natural?
Porcelain veneers are fabricated from the highest grade of dental ceramics, which reflect light in much the same way as the enamel of natural teeth. In addition to this feature, dental porcelain is resistant to stains and discolorations, keeping your smile white and vibrant for years to come.
How long do dental veneers last?
Porcelain veneers are ultra-thin customized facings that become strong and durable once bonded to the underlying teeth. With proper hygiene and routine dental care, veneers provide a cosmetic solution that not only looks and feels completely natural but is also long lasting.
However, just as harmful oral habits can affect your natural teeth, they can also cause damage to your veneers. To prevent chipping, cracking, or dislodging a veneer, avoid nail biting, chewing on hard candies, ice, pens, or pencils, and opening bottles or other objects with your teeth. Also, remember to protect your smile on the playing field by wearing a properly fitted sports mouthguard.
Tooth grinding or bruxism is another important consideration in care. If you clench or grind your teeth, you may need to wear a night guard to help protect your new smile or discuss other options with our office.
How many veneers will I need?
As versatile as they are beautiful, dental veneers can be applied to a single tooth in need of cosmetic improvement or multiple front teeth to dramatically improve the look of your smile. Whatever the case may be, dental veneers provide highly satisfying results to create a smile; you’ll feel confident sharing with the world.
Can veneers address more than one cosmetic problem?
Among the many benefits offered by dental veneers is their ability to mask a range of imperfections at once. In addition to covering stains or discolorations on the front surface of a tooth, the size and shape of a veneer can also be customize to improve the tooth’s contours and dimensions. At the same time veneers create a whiter and more vibrant smile; they can also lengthen or widen a tooth, close minor gaps, and address other minor alignment issues.
Are there different types of veneers?
The two most common types of veneers are porcelain veneers, also known as porcelain laminates, and composite veneers. Although porcelain veneers are the most commonly offered option in care, composite veneers fabricated directly on the tooth can also achieve excellent results. You may have also heard the term no-prep veneer. It refers to a type of porcelain veneer that requires little to no preparation of the underlying dental enamel. At your consultation visit, we’ll discuss your best options in care.
With dental veneers, can I clean my teeth as before?
Once they’re in place, your veneers are also easy to care for and maintain. Simply by brushing, flossing, and visiting our office for periodic checkups, you can successfully protect and preserve your new and beautiful smile.
How much do dental veneers cost?
Although certain procedures that are considered cosmetic may not be covered by dental insurance, veneers remain a worthwhile investment in your smile. Based on the unique considerations of each case, we develop treatment plans that consider specific dental needs, cosmetic goals, and budget. Our experienced and friendly office staff can address all your insurance questions and review various payment and financing options.
Why choose the office of Sonrisa Family Dental?
At the office of Sonrisa Family Dental, we value patient input and pay close attention to your treatment goals, concerns, and expectations in care. When it comes to cosmetic dentistry, we recognize that every smile is unique and never take a “one size fits all” approach to care. We utilize the most advanced diagnostic technology and treatment methods to assess your smile and to design your porcelain veneers for a precise fit and optimal aesthetics.
As experienced providers of care, we provide highly personalized treatment, combining state-of-the-art technology with an artistic touch to produce long-lasting and aesthetically pleasing results of care.