Beautiful Smiles

What are Porcelain Veneers?

“Everytime I read a magazine, a celebrity is said to have had veneers. I can see their teeth look nice, but what actually are porcelain veneers?”

Porcelain veneers are thin shells of porcelain bonded over the front surface of the teeth. They are long lasting, stain-resistant and can be a very natural looking restoration. Porcelain is very versatile; it can be used to lengthen, widen and whiten. We customise them personally to you, choosing the exact shape, colour etc.

There’s a whole host of reasons patients may have porcelain veneers. Placed on misaligned crooked teeth they can give the appearance of perfectly straight teeth, they can cover stained, discolored teeth or be applied to whiten and brighten the entire smile. We can bond longer porcelain veneers to worn or chipped teeth to make them look younger and stronger. Or they can be made to match the surrounding existing teeth, too. We would need to see you for a consultation to determine exactly what it were you needed and whether veneers were a suitable option.

Don’t let the whiteness fade

We often get asked how to maintain the colour of your teeth after they have been whitened, so here’s our handy tips…

  1. See your dentist/ hygienist for professional cleaning at the recommended time interval (usually every 3-6mths)
  2. If drinks have a high stain potential, use a straw
  3. Remember to brush shortly after you have drinks that are highly staining. If you can’t, try to rinse with lots of water.
  4. Avoid abrasive toothpastes which may wear the enamel, exposing more of the darker substructure in your tooth (the dentine)
  5. Don’t smoke!

Finally, use a home whitening kit to give you a little boost occasionally!