What are Porcelain Veneers?
Porcelain veneers are one of the most sought after cosmetic solutions from dentists in Sacramento, CA. They are thin, porcelain shells that are fastened to the front of teeth using special bonding glue which holds them in place for years. Veneers are very thin – bout .5 mm thick which makes them hard to notice. Veneers can last for as long as 20 years which makes them a very affordable choice for a great smile. You can get porcelain veneers if your teeth have cracks, are chipped, are discolored, have gaps between teeth and they can also be installed if teeth are slightly misaligned. There are certain conditions that you have to meet if you want to have veneers installed:
• You have to have good oral health to start with – you should brush and floss 3 times a day and you should visit your dentist on a regular basis.
• You will need to commit to good oral health in the future.
• You should know what you want to achieve with veneers – in other words, you need to know what your cosmetic goals are beforehand. Your dentist will show you photos of people who have installed porcelain veneers so that you can choose a smile that you think will be good for you.
• Because your dentist will have to file away some of the enamel on your teeth before he can install veneers you should have a good amount of enamel to start with. People who have sensitive teeth, for instance, cannot have veneers because their enamel is already compromised.
You should think carefully when you are getting porcelain veneers. As we mention at the beginning, they last for about 20 years and once they are installed they cannot be removed. There are some people for whom veneers are not a good idea. If you have dental problems such as cavities and fillings you cannot get veneers. That said, if your Sacramento, CA dentist works on your dental problems you can get veneers installed. Also, people who have darkly stained teeth are not a good candidate for porcelain veneers because they are not able to hide the stains. Although porcelain is a pretty strong material, people who grind their teeth are discouraged from getting veneers until they deal with their grinding issues.
How do you know whether porcelain veneers are the right solution for you?
The only way that you can know whether installing veneers is the right way to go is to see your dentist. He will examine your teeth and overall oral health and then tell you whether or not to install veneers. If he thinks that they will not be of help he will discuss other options with you. Sometimes the dentist has to perform other dental procedures before he can install your veneers.
How long does it take to install veneers and how much do they cost?
That is an excellent question because many dental procedures take a long time. Fortunately, it only takes a day to get your veneers in place. All the dentist has to do is file off a little bit of enamel on each tooth that is getting a veneer, apply the bonding glue and then put the veneers in place.
As for cost, this will be decided by the number of teeth that will get veneers but you should be prepared to pay a few hundred dollars for each tooth. The type of porcelain veneers that you choose will also make a difference when it comes to cost. More recently developed porcelain veneers tend to be more durable and they are therefore more expensive. You should also remember that costs vary depending on where you are getting your veneers – if you live in a big city you can expect to pay more than if you get your veneers from a small town. Different dentists also charge different prices. There are some dentists who charge more only because they are used to handling high end clients.
As for whether or not insurance will cover your porcelain veneers, most insurance companies don’t pay for veneers because they consider them a cosmetic procedure. You can, however, get them to cover part of the cost if you install them after having another dental procedure done – they will be considered as part of your treatment. Don’t worry too much if you cannot get your insurance company – most dentists in Sacramento, CA offer payment plans to their patients. Just get together a reasonable amount and then pay the rest off slowly.