Veneers Libertyville, IL

When teeth are shaped improperly, are crooked or become badly stained, they can be improved through the use of veneers. Veneers are thin pieces of plastic or porcelain that are cemented over the teeth changing their shape and color.

Why use veneers?

Veneers are implemented when teeth are discolored, unevenly spaced, oddly shaped, chipped unevenly surfaced or crooked. Veneers have an advantage over other treatment options such as bonding since they are longer lasting and less resistant to stains from cigarette smoking or the consumption of teach or coffee.

In addition to fixing structural problems within the mouth, porcelain veneers can also mask defects on the teeth caused by a tetracycline stain. This type of stain often occurs because of an injury or a root canal. Moreover, veneers are ideal for disguising discolorations on the front teeth.

How are veneers made?

In most cases, veneers are created in a dental lab by a technician. However, a dental professional makes a model of the teeth at our Libertyville dentist office. The process of installing veneers often entails at least three dental appointments those being an appointment for the preparation of the tooth, the bonding process and a follow-up visit. Of course, there is an initial visit before any work is accomplished to determine the best course of action. The process after the initial visit often goes as follows:

Tooth preparation visit: This visit typically lasts for two hours. During the visit, the tooth is buffed to allow for the additional thickness of the veneer. In most cases, half a millimeter of the tooth is removed, which sometimes requires local anesthesia. This visit is when the mold is constructed that will be sent to the laboratory.

Bonding: The final visit when the bonding occurs typically takes one or two hours as well. The veneers are temporarily placed on the tooth surface with glycerin or water. This step is to determine the correct fit and get a sense of the proper shade for the veneer. The veneers are adjusted and various shades of cement are implemented to match the color of the surrounding teeth. Before the veneer is applied permanently, the tooth is cleaned with a certain chemical to create a bond. When the cement is placed between the tooth and veneer, a laser, or visible light beam, causes the cement to harden.

After bonding: After the installation of the veneers, a two-week period of adjustment occurs. During this span of time, there may be noticeable changes in the size or shape of the tooth. The follow-up appointment typically falls one or two weeks after the installation.

Other information concerning veneers:

In most cases, little or no anesthesia is needed when installing veneers. However, it should be noted that once veneers are placed on teeth, they must remain as a small amount of enamel is removed during the application of veneers. In addition, even with a highly skilled dental professional completing the veneer installation, there could be a slight variation in color between the veneers and the existing teeth.

Regardless of where you reside be it Libertyville, Grayslake, Lake Forest, Vernon Hills, Glenview, Gurnee or Great Lakes Naval Station, veneers are easily obtainable at our dental offices at Florsheim Drive, Libertyville and Waukegan Road, Glenview.

« Back to Services