Dental veneers are custom-designed shells of tooth-like ceramic or composite resin materials that, when applied over the surface of a tooth, can cover worn or dark tooth enamel, uneven tooth alignment or spacing and chips or cracks. Dental veneers fall into the category of cosmetic dentistry because they create a bright, white smile with beautifully aligned, perfectly shaped and proportioned teeth. Even better, the translucent ceramic quality of today’s veneers provides a more natural look than what’s been available in the past.

There are many kinds of veneers available. The first variation is in the material. Porcelain veneers are the most life-like and durable in the long term. You can expect them to last up to 20 years, depending on care. Composite veneers can look great as well, but typically will not be as durable in the long term.

Within the category of porcelain veneers, there are “pressed” veneers that are cast from molten porcelain. This type can then be finished and polished in the one piece that is cast, or they can be cut back and customized with additional natural colors and translucency in the porcelain to achieve a totally natural look.

A second type of porcelain veneer is called a “stacked” veneer. This is made by mixing a liquid and powdered porcelain in layers and then heated in a furnace under vacuum to make the powder fuse and turn into the porcelain “glass”. Both “stacked” and “pressed” will give the most beautiful and durable results.

There is also a variation in veneer technique, with prep, minimal prep, and no prep veneers. Prep refers to the removal of necessary tooth structure. Some cases may require no preparation at all. This means no shots or drilling http://noprepveneers.com. These types of cases usually involve teeth that are fairly straight with spaces, and no dark teeth. These are ideal for young patients, but can be done on patients of all ages. Minimal prep is the technique that Dr. Hedge prefers. This is the ideal mix of non-invasive dentistry and ideal esthetics. Most often anesthetic is unnecessary and minimal drilling is required.

Dr. Hedge has done thousands of veneers of all types and will recommend the type that fits your cosmetic needs and budget.