If you feel a need to make some improvement in your smile, it may help you to know that you are not alone. While an attractive smile is widely viewed as a social and business asset, is it interesting to note that half of all Americans are unhappy with their smiles. This is according to a survey commissioned by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. If you need a whole new smile, porcelain veneers are the way to go. Porcelain veneers are the most beautiful restorations made in dentistry today. Nothing exceeds porcelain for life-like beauty. It mimics natural teeth in color, translucency, and surface texture. In addition, its very high resistance to wear makes it very long-lasting. It does not discolor, even after many years.
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With porcelain veneers, you can have the smile you want. The teeth can be re-shaped and re-colored with a great deal of artistic latitude If you want teeth that are as white, radiant, healthy-looking and straight as possible, porcelain veneers are the ultimate.
The unsurpassed way to change your smile is to use porcelain laminate veneers - thin shells of porcelain that are bonded onto the surface of the teeth. These veneers are carefully crafted by our experienced and artistic master ceramists to achieve the highest quality possible. Your veneers are matched to the exact shade of your other teeth to give you total control over every aspect of your smile. Porcelain veneers are as durable as your natural teeth and they are stain resistant. They can last anywhere from 15-30 years depending on your bite and how you chew.
Porcelain veneers are an excellent alternative to crowns in many situations. They can provide a conservative approach to changing a tooth�s color, size, shape or closing small spaces, while still maintaining the natural structure of the tooth all in just a few visits � in fact they are sometimes referred to as Instant Orthodontics. Veneers provide the translucence necessary for a completely natural looking smile and there is absolutely no metal showing. And even the darkest teeth can become a beautiful, natural looking white. There is virtually no way to tell that the veneer is not completely natural � only your dentist knows for sure!
The first step in your journey to the perfect smile using veneers is for you and Dr. Sayeg to work together to get the look you desire. It is important that all lines of communication are open between you, Dr. Sayeg and the master ceramist that will craft your veneers. Dr. Sayeg's expert knowledge of the shape that will fit your face best, the thickness of the veneers and the color that will look best on you is crucial but it is ultimately your decision on what you want for your smile that matters. Dr. Sayeg will show you pictures of many different smiles to get an idea of what you want your new smile to look like. After the consultation you will have a visual examination, impressions, pictures and possibly x-rays of your teeth and smile. With that information and with the impressions of your teeth, Dr. Sayeg will make a wax model of your new smile and then use wax formations on your existing teeth to give you a close idea on how the veneers will look on you when finished.
Preparing the veneers:
After you have planned your smile, you will have a one to four hour appointment at which we prepare the teeth. Dr. Sayeg will remove a thin layer of the outer tooth, and take impressions for the master ceramist to use to make the permanent veneers. Accompanied with a prescription and a detailed plan, the impressions are sent to the laboratory for the crafting of the veneers, which takes about two weeks. During this time, Dr. Sayeg will make temporary veneers to be worn to prevent sensitivity and protect the tooth. In some cases where very little tooth was removed, it may not be necessary to place temporaries. Until your delivery appointment, you may have some sensitivity to extreme temperatures and will need to avoid hard or chewy foods.
Delivering the veneers:
After the master ceramist has completed your veneers, you will return for about a three-hour appointment. First we will put the veneers in with try in paste to get a sense of the shade and shape. We will have you look at your veneers with a mirror to evaluate their look and feel. At this point, the color of the veneers can still be adjusted with the shade of the bonding material to be used. Once the final decision on the shade is made, the tooth is cleaned and then bonded to the tooth. We will then contour the veneers to match the surrounding teeth and have the proper bite.
Veneers are very long lasting and have a 93 percent success rate over 10 years. Many patients have veneers that are over 20 years old. With proper care, veneers will last for many years and have as good or greater life expectancy as crowns. Porcelain veneers achieve virtually invisible edges next to the gums, and remain almost undetectable, even if the gum line changes.
For about a week or two, you will go through a period of adjustment as you get used to your new teeth that are a new shape and size. We will have you return about a week after the delivery to check the appearance, function and gingival health. You will then need to follow normal hygiene procedures by bushing and flossing daily and returning for dental visits twice a year to ensure proper maintenance.
Click Here to see some of Dr. Sayegs actual Smile Transformations with Porcelain Veneers
Call 404-255-6782 for a complementary consultation to see what we can do for your smile!
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