What makes a smile beautiful? That’s a complex question, but some qualities of a stellar smile are immediately identifiable. Alignment, shape, and whiteness are a few of the best indicators of tooth health, but natural aging processes can diminish these features. If your teeth could use improvement in any of these categories, porcelain veneers could be just what you’re looking for.
Federal Hill Smiles offers affordable veneer treatment to the greater Baltimore area. Read on to learn more about our dental practice’s offerings of veneers, dentures, and other affordable dental prosthetics that can enhance the beauty and longevity of your smile.
Affordable Veneer Treatment in Baltimore
Veneers are a common dental treatment used to correct a variety of dental issues, both superficial and functional. When you visit our Baltimore dentistry, whether it’s for a checkup or an assessment for a specialized treatment, your dentist will be able to determine if a set of porcelain veneers may enhance your overall oral health — and the aesthetic appeal of your smile!
A dental veneer is a thin covering designed to bond to the front surface of the teeth in order to alter and enhance its shape, alignment, or coloration. There are several options when it comes to veneer treatment, with the most commonly recommended varieties of dental veneers made either of porcelain or resin composite materials, such as plastic and glass. Porcelain veneers tend to be preferred, however, since they offer more benefits and reliability than their synthetic counterparts. Not only do porcelain veneers better mimic the appearance and light-reflecting properties of natural teeth, but they offer optimal stain-resistance and durability. As an added bonus, they’re generally quite affordable!
The most effective dental veneers are made with an ultra-thin layer of highly durable porcelain that acts as a convincing substitute for natural tooth enamel. That’s because dental porcelain, like natural tooth enamel, is translucent and tough. But it doesn’t stain like tooth enamel does. When bonded to your teeth, veneers can create a smile that is not only beautiful but functional as well.
Learn more about porcelain veneer treatment by reading below, or contact our dental office in Baltimore to get further information on affordable veneer options.
The Versatility of Porcelain Veneers
Veneers can be used to improve any of the following characteristics of your teeth:
- Color — Teeth can be stained by a variety of factors including diet, smoking, and natural aging processes. Individual differences in lifestyle, age, and dental hygiene habits produce varying degrees of discoloration. Fortunately, veneers are available in numerous shades, all of which can be further customized by your dentist to complement the appearance of your natural teeth.
- Size & Shape — Teeth can become worn down from grinding habits, or they may not have the shape or size you want to begin with. For example, some people consider rounder teeth more feminine and squarer teeth more masculine, while others have never considered such a distinction. Veneers can be shaped and sized in whichever way is most flattering to your face, and you can work with our Baltimore dentists to determine which affordable porcelain veneer treatment is right for your desired appearance.
- Alignment & Spacing — Veneers can be used to close small gaps between teeth or make slight corrections in alignment while improving tooth color and shape.
Limitations of Porcelain Veneers
There are some situations in which porcelain veneers may not be an appropriate dental treatment. For example, if you have significantly misaligned teeth or a large gap, orthodontics might be a more effective solution than veneers. And if tooth enamel coverage has been compromised by decay or trauma (such as a severe grinding habit), it might be better to restore your teeth with porcelain crowns that cover the entire tooth. At Federal Hill Smiles, our team of dentists and dental hygiene specialists have the experience and knowledge to help guide you through these kinds of decisions.
Creating Personalized Porcelain Veneers
The first step in creating porcelain veneers that fit your personal needs is to meet with your dentist for an initial consultation. During this preliminary appointment, you’ll discuss what you don’t like about your smile, what adjustments you’d like to make, or what issues you’re hoping to correct. If you’re not sure how to explain your ideas with words alone, it’s extremely helpful to bring in pictures of smiles you do like.
Following this conversation, your dentist will show you the veneer options best suited for your needs. At some clinics, including our Baltimore dentistry, it’s possible to “try on” temporary veneer models in order to get an impression of how actual porcelain veneers would look on your teeth. Your dentist may make a model of your teeth to produce a wax veneer model, or they may place a pre-sized acrylic or plastic template directly onto your teeth to gauge the effect that veneers would have on your smile.
Once a plan has been agreed upon, your teeth will be prepared for the veneer placement with a thorough cleaning. If necessary, a small amount of enamel may be removed to accommodate the shape of the dental implant. Next, molds of your teeth will be taken; these models are then used by a skilled dental laboratory to create your customized veneers. The production process for personalized prostheses can take several weeks to complete, so you will likely receive a set of temporary veneers to wear during this time. When the veneers come back from the lab, they will be bonded to your teeth with an effective and safe procedure known as cementation.
Caring for Your Veneers
Just like natural teeth, a smile restored with veneers needs to be maintained with healthy dental habits. Daily brushing removes dental plaque that can cause discoloration, and regular flossing ensures that the gum tissue surrounding the veneers stays healthy. Regular checkups and cleanings from your dentist are just as important as before. Our Baltimore dental practice recommends no fewer than two appointments per year — and that’s the minimum for individuals with no veneers or dental issues! Keep in mind that as tough as veneers are, they may not be able to withstand forces that natural teeth may be able to accommodate. Refrain from using your teeth as tools (to open packages, for example) and avoid biting into very hard foods like candy apples — which isn’t terribly good for your natural teeth, either! Additionally, if you grind or clench your teeth at night, you might be advised to get a custom-made nightguard to protect your veneers — and your investment in a beautiful smile.
If you have any questions about affordable veneer treatment or any of our other specialized dental services, don’t hesitate to give us a call at Federal Hill Smiles, located in Baltimore.