What are porcelain veneers?

Simply stated, a veneer is a thin covering over another surface. In dentistry, a porcelain veneer is a thin layer of dental porcelain that replaces enamel. Porcelain was named after its resemblance to the white, shiny Venus-shell, called in Old Italian "porcella ". Porcelain laminae veneers are among the most aesthetic means of creating a more pleasing and beautiful smile.

How long do porcelain veneers last?

In my experience porcelain veneers can last seven to twenty years. While the veneer itself is inert and non-living, the tooth or teeth to which they are attached to and the surrounding gum tissue are living and will age with time and can change. For example, the gum line may shrink and exposes the root surface, changing the appearance of the smile. Accidental excessive forces, like biting on a fork, severe bruxing, or tooth grinding, cavities caused by poor oral hygiene, thermal cycling, over many years, from extreme hot and cold foods consumed in a meal, may cause failure of veneers and they need to be changed. If a veneer comes off in its entirely, it can generally be re-bonded onto the tooth.

Will porcelain veneers look like my natural teeth?

When I make porcelain veneers for my patients, I take into account many factors that make the final smile a natural one. Lips play a large role in the smile. Facial profile, the dental arch being narrow or wide, the width of the jaw, profile of the chin, angle of the jaw, race of the patient, amount of teeth showing at rest, arch of the smile, etc., all play important roles in making the smile look natural. Sometimes, I need to work on a single tooth in the smile zone. These cases are a lot more challenging and require a lot of knowledge and experience to achieve a natural result. An experienced cosmetic dentist should be able to create a smile that looks stunningly natural and functional.