What are porcelain veneers?

Porcelain veneers are thin, custom made pieces of porcelain that can be used in many different situations to help restore, rejuvenate or completely change a smile. The technology is such that by bonding the piece of porcelain ( which can be as thin as .3mm!) to the tooth, one can have the strength of a crown without having to sacrifice as much tooth structure. Once used to restore broken teeth, they are now being used to change the color of one's smile when whitening techniques do not provide the result desired. They can be used to hide stains ( such as the grey, yellow or brown stains caused by tetracycline) or to eliminate uneven colors of the natural teeth. They can be used to reshape the teeth so that they are more youthful, eliminating the years of chipping that can result from habits such as biting finger nails, or pens or pencils. "Instant orthodontics " is the term used when one has porcelain veneers placed that correct the misaligned natural teeth , in as few as two visits , without wearing braces for months or years. The process requires the tooth be reshaped to accommodate the additional thickness of the veneer. If this is not done the added thickness (the so called " no prep " veneers) will be noticeable to the individuals lips and tongue. Furthermore, without reducing the tooth, the edge of the veneer will stick out and become a trap for food and bacteria. This can lead to cavities and bad breath. In many cases this can be done without having a local anesthetic used.