Bluffton Porcelain Veneers

How are

Porcelain veneers applied?

Porcelain veneers are completely non-invasive, and the entire process of application usually takes only two appointments. After you’ve been chosen as a good candidate for veneers, Dr. Darrah will schedule your first appointment.

At your first appointment, Dr. Darrah will clean your teeth and numb the areas that will be treated. Then, he will remove an extremely thin layer of enamel from each tooth that will have a veneer applied. This layer of enamel is equal in thickness to the porcelain veneer. It is removed to ensure that the veneer can bond perfectly to the surface of the tooth, for a seamless fit.

Once the small amount of enamel is removed, he will take molds and images of your mouth. These are sent to an outside lab, where your veneers will be manufactured. You will be sent home with a set of temporary veneers, and you’ll come back in 2-3 weeks when your permanent veneers are finished.

At your second appointment, Dr. Darrah will check the fit and finish your veneers to make sure that they are comfortable and properly shaped. If they are a perfect fit, he will then clean your teeth and apply each veneer using an advanced, permanent dental cement. Once your veneers are placed, the treatment is finished and you’ll leave our office with a brand new smile!

What are The

Benefits of porcelain veneers?

There is a good reason that porcelain veneers are so popular. Here are just a few benefits of porcelain veneers from Buckwalter Dental Care.

Completely natural appearance and feel – Veneers look completely indistinguishable from natural teeth. They also feel and function naturally.

No special oral care required – Care should be taken to avoid chewing excessively hard objects like ice, or non-food objects like pens. Beyond this, there are no special oral care precautions required. Just brush and floss normally!

Non-invasive and fast treatment – The entire process only takes a few hours, over just two appointments, and it’s non-invasive and painless. This makes it perfect if you have dental anxiety, or are nervous about dental surgery.

How Long do

Veneers Last?

Porcelain veneers have a lifespan of about 7 to 15 years with proper care. While veneers are temporary and need to be replaced, keep in mind that this is a permanent procedure. In preparation for veneers, we remove a small amount of your tooth enamel that will never grow back.

As a result, you will always need to keep these teeth covered with veneers to protect them. Veneers are not reversible, so once you get an enameloplasty to prepare your teeth for them, you will need to wear veneers for the rest of your life. 

However, you don’t need to worry about veneers causing any damage to your teeth. As long as you care for your veneers and regularly replace them as necessary, your teeth will be healthy and strong. Veneers bond to your tooth enamel and strengthen your teeth while improving your smile.

Can Veneers

Stain?

Porcelain is a stain-resistant material, so they are much less likely to stain than your natural teeth. However, if you constantly expose your teeth to staining foods and drinks, and tobacco products, stains will build up over time. 

Dental cleanings will remove surface stains from your teeth and veneers, so we recommend that you attend a cleaning once every 6 months to maintain the shade of your veneers. You must be vigilant about preventing staining of your veneers because they do not respond to teeth whitening treatments, unlike natural teeth.
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To avoid discoloration of your veneers, you should avoid all tobacco products and limit your consumption of certain foods and drinks such as:

• Wine
• Soy sauce
• Coffee or tea
• Soda
• Juice
• Highly pigmented foods like red sauces or berries

How Do I Care for

My Veneers?

Wear and Tear - While veneers are made of highly durable materials, they can still become chipped, cracked, or broken if you aren’t careful. To reduce this risk, we discourage you from chewing hard or sticky foods with your veneers.

Never use your veneers as tools to open a package, chew on your nails, or chomp down on ice cubes. This can damage your veneers.

Oral Hygiene - Just because you have veneers doesn’t mean you’re immune to tooth decay and gum disease. To prevent these oral health problems, you will still need to brush your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes and floss once a day. 

Regular dental exams and cleanings twice a year will detect problems early and prevent tooth decay and gum disease. Your dentist can let you know if they believe your veneers are due to be replaced.

‍Protect Your Teeth from Trauma - Do you grind your teeth at night or play contact sports? If you do, we highly recommend that you wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth from dental trauma and your veneers from breaking. 

Teeth grinding is very harmful to your natural teeth, let alone veneers. We don’t recommend veneers to people who suffer from bruxism unless they are committed to wearing a mouthguard every night when they go to sleep.