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Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are used by cosmetic dentists
to correct stained, chipped, or crooked teeth. Porcelain Veneers
are, as the name implies, made of porcelain (a ceramic material)
and are applied to the front of the teeth by a qualified cosmetic
dentist. Porcelain veneers generally require you make three visits
to the cosmetic dentist's office.
The Porcelain Veneers Procedure
Your first visit to the cosmetic dentist's
office will consist of an oral examination to make sure that porcelain
veneers are the right choice for you. The cosmetic dentist will
discuss with you the advantages and limitations of using porcelain
veneers.
The visit to the cosmetic dentist’s
office is used to prepare the teeth to accept the porcelain veneers.
This is done by removing a half millimeter of tooth enamel. The
procedure can sometimes be very uncomfortable, requiring that a
local anesthetic be used. Once the teeth have been prepared to accept
the porcelain veneers, the cosmetic dentist will take an impression
of the teeth. This impression of your teeth will then be used to
make the porcelain veneers, which usually takes between one and
two weeks.
Once the porcelain veneers are finished being
made you will return to the cosmetic dentist for one final visit.
This is when the porcelain veneers will be applied to your teeth.
Your teeth are then cleaned and the porcelain veneers bonded to
them using bonding cement. The bonding cement is then hardened (cured)
using a special blue light.
The Cost of Getting Porcelain Veneers
The cost of porcelain veneers varies depending
on the number of porcelain veneers involved and the area of the
country in which the procedure is being performed. The average price,
to complete this type of cosmetic dentistry procedure, ranges between
$750 and $2000 per tooth.
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