Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain Veneers Austin, TX

Improve the appearance of your smile with dental veneers.

Porcelain veneers are ultra-thin shells of ceramic material bonded to the front of teeth. They require little or no anesthesia and can be the ideal choice for improving the appearance of the most visible teeth. At Westlake Family Dental, we choose eMax porcelain veneers for their strength, durability, and beautiful appearance! Once securely bonded into place, the porcelain veneers mask discolorations, brighten teeth, and greatly enhance your smile. They are also highly resistant to permanent staining from coffee, tea, or cigarette smoking, and will provide an aesthetically pleasing naturalness to your smile!

FAQs About Veneers

When would you recommend a porcelain veneer?

Porcelain veneers are an excellent alternative to crowns in many situations. They provide a much more conservative approach to changing a tooth’s color, size, or shape. Porcelain veneers can mask undesirable defects, such as teeth stained by tetracycline, by an injury, or as a result of a root-canal procedure. They are ideal for masking discolored fillings in front teeth, and patients with gaps or chips may also consider porcelain veneers.

Generally, veneers will last for many years, and the technique has shown remarkable longevity when correctly performed.

What happens during the procedure?

Patients need three appointments for the entire procedure: diagnosis and treatment planning, preparation, and bonding.

Diagnosis and treatment planning

It’s critical that you take an active role during your smile design. Spend time in the decision-making and planning of your smile. Understand the corrective limitations of the procedure. Have more than one consultation, if necessary, to feel comfortable about your objectives!

Preparation of teeth

This appointment will take from one to two hours. The teeth are lightly buffed to allow for the small added thickness of the veneer. With our eMax veneers, we remove about one millimeter of the tooth surface. Then, a mold is taken and sent to the laboratory for fabrication, which may take one to two weeks.

Bonding of veneers

This appointment will take about one to two hours. First, the veneers are placed on the teeth to check their fit and get a sense of the shade or color. While the veneers are resting on your teeth, view the aesthetic results while paying particular attention to the color. At this point, we can still make adjustments by adjusting the shade of the cement used. The color cannot be altered after the cementing process. To place the veneer, we clean each tooth with specific chemicals that help to achieve a bond. With the special cement applied between the veneer and tooth, a visible light beam initiates the release of a catalyst to harden the cement.

How about maintenance?

For about a week or two, you will go through a period of adjustment as you get used to your “new” teeth that may differ in size and shape. Continue brushing and flossing daily. After one or two weeks, you’ll return for a follow-up appointment.

Consider an occlusal guard

When choosing to improve your smile with porcelain veneers, we recommend an occlusal guard (also known as mouthguard or night guard) to provide increased protection. Especially if your teeth suffer from cracks, chips, or excessive wear due to nighttime grinding or clenching (bruxism), an occlusal guard will make sure your porcelain veneers stay protected throughout the night.

We’ll take an impression of your teeth and use it to create a custom-fitted occlusal guard. So, get the smile you’ve always wanted and then make sure it stays looking great! Contact us today at (512) 328-0911.