Do you see celebrities like Miley Cyrus, Hilary Duff and Catherine Zeta Jones and wish that you could have a similarly dazzling smile? A whiter smile is immediately associated with looking younger and often makes one happier and more confident. Thanks to cosmetic dentists, having beautiful, straight, white teeth doesn’t necessarily require a visit to the orthodontist. Celebrities usually get veneers, which are an ultra-thin piece of porcelain placed over the tooth’s surface. We talked to Dr. Ian Rodd from Dana Point, CA to find out why veneers are so popular and the kinds of patients this procedure is ideal for.
Veneers are ideal for those who:
- have discolored teeth
- have broken teeth
- have misaligned teeth
- want to change their smile in a short period of time
Though you may worry that having veneers will change your appearance too drastically or look too “fake,” when done properly the results can be beautiful. “Porcelain veneers mimic the properties of our own teeth, so they are very aesthetically pleasing,” explains Dr. Rodd. “Porcelain Veneers transmit light in a manner similar to our own teeth, which allows them to blend seamlessly with our smiles.”
In the past five years there has been an over 3000% increase in cosmetic procedures, like tooth whitening and porcelain veneers, performed by cosmetic dentists. As with any medical procedure, it is imperative to ask your dentist the right questions before making a commitment.
People who are contemplating cosmetic veneers should take the time and expense of requesting a diagnostic wax-up to be fabricated by their dentist. “A diagnostic wax-up is one of the most cost effective and reliable ways to see if the final veneers would be to the patient’s liking,” advises Dr. Rodd.
According to Dr. Rodd, the typical steps taken for cosmetic veneers are:
The Consultation Appointment:
Your cosmetic dentist will take impressions of your teeth at the consultation appointment. These impressions are then used by the lab to fabricate a wax mock-up of the final veneers (basically the way the dentist and their trusted lab envisions your final smile design). This is the best way to see how the veneers might look once fitted. The consultation appointment is also when your cosmetic dentist can evaluate your bite and the shape of your teeth to see if the veneers are the best solution for your smile.
Tooth Preparation:
When the diagnostic wax-up is prepared, the patient and their dentist can go over the proposed design of the veneers and make modifications. Once that step is completed, the teeth are prepared and impressions are taken of the prepared teeth. The diagnostic wax-up can be useful at this time to make the temporary veneers which will be placed over the patient’s prepared teeth while the final veneers are being fabricated by the lab.
Veneer Delivery
Once all these proper design steps are taken, the final veneer delivery appointment should be a relatively easy and predictable one.
The total process for veneers takes about three weeks (if you include the diagnostic mock-up), which is significantly less time than orthodontic braces would take. This makes veneers the go-to treatment for many celebrities. Dr. Rodd cautions that veneers are not recommended for everyone. In teenagers for example, where the jaws are still forming and moving, veneers are often not a good idea since they may need to be redone due to tooth movement.
If you are considering getting veneers to beautify your smile, consider visiting a cosmetic dentist for a consultation. You should go prepared with few questions to ask a dentist before completing this procedure. Dr. Rodd suggests:
1) Ask how long they’ve been placing veneers and how often they do this procedure (Dr. Rodd says he performs this procedure weekly).
2) Ask about their training. Though any dentist can place veneers, make sure the one you choose is a cosmetic dentist that has completed proper training. (proper training can equal up to hundreds of hours!)
3) Ask for a diagnostic wax-up to see how veneers would look once completed.
We hope this information is useful should you decide to get veneers to beautify your smile. Be sure to visit www.DentistUSA.com to find a dentist in your area. Some dentists offer fantastic specials and coupons on DentistUSA so make sure to take advantage of these exclusive deals.
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