Before you sign on the dotted line for anything—even good things like improvements to your smile—you should know exactly what you’re getting yourself into. For instance, did you know that popular veneers require removing a little bit of your teeth’s precious enamel?
But don’t let that scare you! Understanding more about how veneers work, the reasoning behind this removal, and how much enamel is removed can put your mind at ease about getting these remarkable cosmetic enhancements.
What Is the Veneers Process?
After you and your dentist determine that veneers are right for your smile, they must take away a small portion of the enamel and then take impressions of your prepared teeth. These impressions are sent to a lab, where custom veneers are fabricated. Meanwhile, you wear temporary veneers until your personalized ones are ready. Finally, you return to your dentist’s office to have your custom veneers bonded into place, giving your smile a completely flawless appearance.
Why Does Enamel Have to Be Removed for Veneers?
The whole point of undergoing a cosmetic treatment like veneers is for the results to look not only beautiful but also natural. No one wants a clearly fake smile! If you apply a veneer without preparing the tooth first, it will stick out and appear unrealistic. On the other hand, when the tooth is properly prepared (i.e., when a sliver of enamel is removed), the veneer can sit flush, creating a perfect, yet lifelike smile.
How Much Enamel Is Removed for Veneers?
Because veneers are so thin, only a tiny amount of tooth structure needs to be taken away. In fact, it is usually 0.5mm—just enough to provide room for the porcelain covering to look natural. You should still have some enamel left on the front of your teeth. However, keep in mind that shaving off this miniscule portion of enamel is still enough to make a permanent change to the surface and appearance, meaning that you will have to have veneers for the rest of your life.
Does It Hurt to Get Veneers?
Even though the amount of enamel is minimal, you may be worried about pain during the preparation phase of getting veneers. However, before your teeth are touched, your dentist will administer a local anesthetic, numbing the area. In other words, you shouldn’t feel any discomfort while your dentist carefully takes away the requisite enamel to prepare your teeth for flawless veneers.
Knowing that only 0.5mm of enamel will be removed can give you peace of mind about moving forward with veneers. This slight alteration is a sacrifice, but getting the smile you’ve always wanted is worth it!
About the Practice
Dr. Justin Shirk and Dr. Stephanie McAndrew at Pioneer Greens Dentistry are concerned not only about your oral health but also your confidence in your own smile. If you don’t like the way it looks, we offer many services including veneers, teeth whitening, cosmetic bonding, and gum recontouring. We even have Virtual Smile Design, which allows you to view what your results can look like before we perform treatment. If you are interested in perfecting your smile, contact our Lincoln office online or call us at 402-483-7502.