Veneers – Columbia, MO
Fully Transform Your Smile in Just Two Visits
When you look in the mirror, do you see a beautiful smile you’re proud to share, or do you see chips, cracks, and stains you want to hide? If it’s the latter, don’t let a flawed smile get in your way! At Columbia Healthy Smiles, we offer dental patients a wide range of cosmetic dentistry services to meet any need, including veneers! If you’d like to find out more about the treatment process, call our Columbia dental team to schedule an appointment today.
Why Choose Columbia Healthy Smiles for Veneers?
- Highly Durable, Lifelike Materials
- Experienced Husband-and-Wife Team
- Team That Focuses on Long-Term Dental Care
What are Dental Veneers?
Veneers are thin sheaths of dental-grade porcelain that are affixed to the front-facing surfaces of teeth. Some of the many cosmetic flaws we can conceal are:
- Chipped teeth
- Small, surface-level dental cracks
- Deep-set staining that does not respond to teeth whitening
- Uneven spacing between teeth
- Crooked or overlapping teeth that are not negatively affecting the way the bite fits together
Each patient is different, and veneers are not the right option for everyone. Before we recommend this cosmetic solution, you’ll need to visit our dental office for a consultation. We’ll examine your smile and help you determine whether or not veneers are your best cosmetic dentistry option. At the consultation, we also determine how many teeth need veneers and whether to treat the top, bottom, or both arches.
The Process of Getting Veneers
Patients who choose veneers will need to visit Columbia Healthy Smiles for two treatment appointments. During the first visit, we numb the area around the teeth. Then, we remove a tiny amount of surface enamel. This allows the porcelain veneers to lay flat on top of the teeth, blending flawlessly into the natural smile line. A series of bite impressions are captured, and we use these impressions to design your custom veneers. Diagnostic X-rays, bite impressions, and our designs are all sent to a trusted dental lab where your veneers will be crafted. To protect the prepared teeth, temporary veneers are placed.
You’ll return for the second appointment after we receive the custom restorations from our lab. As long as you’re happy with the look and feel of your veneers, this second visit is very short. In rare cases, we’ll need to make adjustments to the design and send the veneers back to the lab. However, most patients leave following their second appointment with flawless smiles.
The Benefits of Veneers
Here are a few of the many reasons veneers are so widely loved:
- They can transform your smile in just two appointments.
- They can conceal a wide range of dental imperfections simultaneously.
- They can last for a decade or longer with proper care.
- They are easy to maintain.
- They are custom-made for each patient.
- They are stain-resistant.
How Do I Care for My Veneers
For the most part, you’ll continue to care for your teeth in the same way. You’ll need to brush your teeth twice a day, floss daily, and visit our dental office at least twice each year. We do recommend choosing an extra soft toothbrush and non-abrasive toothpaste as well as breaking bad habits, like smoking, as well. This goes a long way in ensuring the longevity of your veneers.
Understanding the Cost of Veneers
If you want an estimate of the cost of your smile transformation, then schedule a consultation with us so we can learn all about your dental needs and smile goals! This is important because – without certain information, like the number of veneers you need – we can’t provide you with an accurate price. At your appointment, we will also review the financial solutions available to you, including CareCredit, to prevent navigating the cost from becoming stressful.
Veneer FAQs
Are Veneers Permanent?
Veneers are permanent in the sense that they are considered to be irreversible. Once you get a set of veneers in Columbia, you’ll always have to wear a protective dental cosmetic or crown to compensate for the removed enamel. However, they’re not so permanent when it comes to time. While veneers will last you for over a decade if you care for them properly, you will eventually have to replace them.
Is There Anything I Can’t Eat with Veneers?
Let’s address both of the types of veneers you’ll have to wear: temporary veneers and permanent veneers.
Temporary veneers aren’t as durable as your permanent set will be, so we recommend sticking to softer foods and milder beverages. Things like ice, raw fruits or veggies, and hard candy could very well break them, and sticky treats could pull them off your teeth.
Permanent veneers can withstand most foods, although we still recommend avoiding overly tough snacks like popcorn kernels or apples – or, at the very least, we encourage you to be careful about how you chew! You also might want to limit your dark beverage consumption. Drinks like red wine and coffee can quickly stain your veneers.
Do Veneers Give You a Lisp?
Some patients do experience trouble speaking around their veneers. This is a simple matter of muscle memory, though – part of how we make sounds is by pressing our tongue against our teeth. At first, you may not be used to the way your tongue needs to be positioned in order to speak clearly and avoid a lisp. Over time, you’ll get used to the presence of your veneers, and some vocal practice can help you adjust even faster!
Can You Whiten Veneers?
Not exactly. A professional teeth whitening treatment that you might get for natural teeth won’t have any effect on dental veneers, because the bleaching agents are formulated specifically for enamel, not porcelain.
If you want to whiten only your veneers, we may be able to polish them, or we might have to replace them with a new set.
If you want to whiten only your natural teeth or your entire smile, then the best course of action is to go ahead and receive a normal teeth whitening treatment. Note that only your natural teeth will become brighter, so to maintain a consistently pearly look, you’ll have to polish or replace your veneers afterwards. Whitening your smile in this order will allow us to color-match your veneers to your teeth’s new shade, ensuring uniform brightness.