What are Porcelain Dental Veneers?
Porcelain dental veneers, sometimes called dental porcelain laminates, are a type of dental veneer used by a cosmetic dentist to improve the appearance of your teeth.
Porcelain veneers are custom made shells of wafer thin porcelain which fit over and are bonded to the front surface of a tooth. They can be an excellent cosmetic treatment for:
The porcelain veneers are bonded to the front of the teeth and can give the appearance of a straighter, whiter, and more symmetrical natural looking smile.
If well cared for and placed by a reputable dentist, porcelain veneers can last for up to 10-15 years, giving you a long-lasting dream smile.
What are the benefits of Porcelain veneers?
Porcelain veneers can create a naturally beautiful smile and restore teeth to provide a straighter, whiter and more symmetrical smile. Other benefits of porcelain veneers include:
They are stain resistant:
- Porcelain veneers are a highly stain-resistant material, and significantly more so than composite resin veneers;
They are durable and long-lasting:
- Each porcelain veneer is custom fit to your natural tooth, which allows you to create a natural shape and colour match to your smile;
They can address multiple cosmetic concerns in one treatment:
- Porcelain veneers have the unique ability to address multiple cosmetic concerns for the patient in one procedure. Porcelain veneers can alter the shape, colour and partially the position of your teeth.
Are porcelain veneers right for me?
Porcelain veneers can be an excellent, long-lasting solution for a number of cosmetic concerns including cracked, stained, broken, crowded and gappy teeth. At Sydney Smile Doctor, our porcelain veneers are custom made by a master ceramist, so we are able to achieve dental veneers that look exactly like real teeth - only better.
However, porcelain veneers require that a layer of your natural tooth enamel be removed before they can be adhered, making the procedure irreversible. They can be a more invasive option than composite resin veneers (read more about composite veneers, and the difference between composite veneers and porcelain dental veneers here.)
Porcelain veneers cannot address all cosmetic dental concerns. In some situations, for example, your dentist will recommend orthodontic work for more serious issues with crowding or gappy teeth.
We believe in taking the time to get to know our patients and what their dental concerns are. During a complimentary consultation, our cosmetic dentist will sit down and discuss your treatment options to achieve a beautiful, natural smile without compromising your health.
What are alternatives to porcelain veneers?
Other dental treatments which address similar concerns to porcelain veneers include:
Composite veneers:
A composite veneer (sometimes known as a bonded veneers) is a dental veneer made of hand layered composite resin. You can read more about the differences between porcelain veneers and composite veneers here.
Veneers sydney - composite veneers
Veneers sydney - composite veneers
Looking for composite veneers in sydney? Call us now to make your appointment on 1300 645 680- or click here to request a callback at a time convenient to you.
Composite bonding:
In some cases where only small adjustments are required, small alterations can be achieved with small amounts of resin known as composite bonding. If you'd like to find out whether composite bonding might be right for you, you can have a free appointment with our of our dentists to find out - book your call-back here.
Crowns and Bridges:
When there is significant damage to the teeth, porcelain veneers may not be the appropriate option. In this case, crowns may be required to replace the lost tooth structure. Our dentists try wherever possible to use veneers as the treatment option of choice as it is the most conservative option.
Generally speaking, most patients find that porcelain veneers are an excellent option for a long-lasting, durable and customisable smile.
What is the process for getting porcelain veneers?
Initial consultation
At Sydney Smile Doctor, we offer two free initial consultations for patients interested in veneers.
At your first visit, Dr Andrew will do a full examination of your teeth and discuss what you want to achieve with your smile – at no cost.
This appointment is about listening to you and your concerns, so that we can appropriately tailor a treatment plan for you.
We’ll take a full set of photos and refer you for an X-ray (which can be done at your convenience locally and is bulk-billed by Medicare).
The X-ray will help Dr Andrew ascertain whether porcelain veneers are right for you.
Second Complimentary Smile Consultation
About 1-2 weeks after your first visit, you’ll come in for your second consultation – again, at no charge.
After reviewing your X-ray and photos, Dr Andrew will discuss all potential options for treatment, outlining costs and providing all the information you need to make an informed decision.
You’ll then have the opportunity to discuss flexible payment options and plans with our treatment coordinator.
Find out more about our payment options
Clean and Scan
Once you’ve chosen your treatment plan, we’ll do another set of photos, a full mouth digital scan, dental charting and any other examinations we might need.
After that, we’ll thoroughly clean your teeth to prepare them for your next treatment.
Dr Andrew will design your new smile and begin consultation with our master ceramist to design your porcelain veneers. He will make a model of your new smile which allows you to "try on" the smile before any changes to your existing teeth are made.
This gives an indication of shape to ensure that you’re confident we’re heading in the right direction.
Preparation of your teeth
At your next appointment, Dr Andrew will prepare your teeth to fit your smile design. This involves carefully removing the front surface of natural tooth enamel to ensure that your porcelain veneers can be seamlessly attached to the tooth surface.
At Sydney Smile Doctor, we believe in conservative dentistry, so Dr Andrew will ensure to only remove as much natural teeth enamel as necessary to fit your veneers.
At the end of this appointment, you will go home wearing temporary dental veneers. Temporary veneers are a short-term representation of your veneers, bonded to each tooth. They will look like the real thing, but aren't designed to be as strong or last as long, they just need to last you until your next appointment, and help you confirm that the colour, shape and fit is right for you. With your temporary veneers, you can take your teeth home for a trial run, start practicing some stunning smiles!
Creation of the veneer
Before the cementation of your final smile, Dr Andrew and our master ceramist, Grant Davis, will work together to create the custom made veneers of porcelain, which are hand layered ceramic to build up customised colour and character of the teeth.
Hand-layering porcelain veneers allows your cosmetic dentist and ceramist to work together to create unique teeth to match your facial features, colouring and desired shape.
Cementation of your smile
At this appointment, Dr Andrew will remove your temporary smile and cement your dream smile!
Each single porcelain veneer will be attached to the surface of your prepared tooth with special cement. The bonded veneers will be strong, but need to be carefully cared for as you would your natural teeth. Dr Andrew will take care to remove any excess cement to ensure your final veneers are permanently bonded perfectly - then it's time for you to enjoy your new smile!
Like all dental treatments, there are some risks associated with porcelain veneers and your dentist will discuss these with you before proceeding.
Your cosmetic dentist will also advise you to expect some short-term temperature sensitivity after the procedure and to avoid hot and cold foods for a short period of time.
Like all cosmetic dentistry, your new porcelain veneers will require care. If porcelain veneers stain, tooth whitening products will not work, and so careful cleaning is required as with your natural teeth. Your cosmetic dentist will discuss a care plan for you at the end of your treatment and encourage follow-up appointments for care and maintenance.
How much do porcelain veneers cost?
At Sydney Smile Doctor, we are committed to giving you your best, most natural-looking smile, but we will not compromise your health. We don't cut corners, so you can expect the best quality porcelain veneers from our cosmetic dentists. Patients should be wary of anyone offering suspiciously cheap porcelain veneers and ensure they are getting treatment from a reputable dentist.
We believe that the highest quality dentistry should be available to everyone, so we have payment plans available and can also assist in accessing superannuation where appropriate.
You can see our price list, including price estimates for porcelain veneers here.
Porcelain veneers in Sydney
Are you looking for high quality porcelain veneers in Sydney? Our renowned cosmetic dentists Dr Peterson and team at Sydney Smile Doctor have a passion for smile design. We are proud to have changed our patient's lives by giving them their perfect smile using porcelain veneers.
Our renowned dentists are known for taking the time to listen to each patient to understand their needs and what they want to achieve in their smile. We practice conservative cosmetic dentistry, so you can have your perfect smile without compromising your health.
We offer free consultations for patients interested in veneers, so you can meet us and find out if porcelain veneers are right for you. Call us now to make your appointment on 1300 645 680 or click here to request a callback at a time convenient to you.
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