Ever wish you had the smile you’ve always wanted? Not long ago, if you had cosmetic issues with your teeth, your options were limited and invasive for improving their appearance. Fortunately, thanks to modern dental advances, that beautiful smile you’ve always dreamed about is within your reach. Drs. Ryan Lepore and Erin Dougherty at Lepore Comprehensive Dentistry in Dunedin, FL, can correct all these issues and more with porcelain dental veneers.
These custom-shaped, ultra-thin pieces of porcelain are placed over your teeth to hide imperfections in a minimally invasive procedure, giving you a natural-looking and terrific smile.
Issues That Porcelain Veneers Can Fix
Porcelain veneers are a versatile and highly effective way of covering up cosmetic issues with your teeth. Patients with the following imperfections in their smile may benefit from veneers:
- Chips in their teeth
- Misshapen teeth
- Oddly sized teeth
- Permanent stains or discolorations that are resistant to whitening
- Mild gaps between teeth
- Mild tooth misalignment
What To Expect
One of the best aspects of porcelain veneers from a dentistry perspective is that minimal preparation of your teeth is necessary to place them. This means that minimal tooth structure needs to be altered, which can help preserve the health of your tooth over the long term.
First, Dr. Lepore or Dr. Dougherty will examine your teeth and gums to get a complete picture of your overall oral health. If you have any issues, like decay or gum disease, you will likely need to treat those issues before cosmetic treatments such as veneers because your smile is such an important part of how others perceive you. Drs. Lepore and Dougherty will take the time to understand what you like and don’t like about your teeth and what your goals are so that they can custom-design veneers for a smile that truly reflects your personality and preferences.
To create and place your veneers, Dr. Lepore or Dr. Dougherty will first plan your case with their dental laboratory. With this approach, you will typically leave the initial day with prototype temporaries that will mimic your proposed design’s size and shape. This allows any changes to be made prior to the delivery of your final restorations.
On the day of preparation, we will prepare your teeth by removing approximately half a millimeter of enamel from the surface of your teeth, which is about the same thickness as the veneers. Then, dental impressions will be taken so the veneers can be fabricated to fit your smile perfectly. Once they are ready, you return to the office, where you will “try on” the veneers to ensure they look, feel, and fit just right.
If necessary, Dr. Lepore or Dr. Dougherty will adjust until you are both happy with the results. At that point, your doctor will clean and etch your teeth to help facilitate a strong bond and then use a strong dental cement to adhere the veneers to your teeth.
The Smile You’ve Always Wanted
If you are interested in learning more about porcelain veneers and whether you are a good candidate, call Lepore Comprehensive Dentistry in Dunedin, FL, today to schedule your personalized consultation!
- Bone loss prevention – your immune system attempts to fight off the bacterial infection, but this inflammatory response can lead to bone loss and, in turn, causes the loss of teeth.
- Improve your overall health – By reducing bacteria (tartar) in the mouth, you reduce your risk for heart disease, and other systemic conditions.
- Eliminate bacteria, reduce pocketing, and smooth damaged bone for gum tissue to reattach to the strong foundational bone.