Dental Veneers – Questions & Answers

Common questions answered by your Burton dentist.

Dental veneers are commonly used where teeth are either too badly stained or discoloured for a whitening procedure to be entirely successful, or where the teeth are chipped or cracked.

Over the years, we have been asked a number of questions by our patients about this popular procedure at Alexandra Dental Care, and we have answered some of the more commonly asked ones below.

Do veneers “stick on” like false fingernails?

It is not unusual for dental veneers to be described as ‘false fingernails for the teeth’. Whilst the comparison is understandable, there is a key difference in that false fingernails are simply stuck onto existing ones. The procedure for dental veneers is a little different. Instead of simply attaching the veneers, first of all an equivalent thickness of the damaged enamel is removed. This means that the teeth retain their natural shape, appearance and functionality –  but of course look much more appealing! As you would imagine, the procedure for fitting a dental veneer is rather more complex and precise than fitting a false finger nail.

Is it a painful procedure?

No, but it is performed using a local anaesthetic as it would otherwise might be uncomfortable when the tooth surface is being prepared.

Will my teeth be unprotected while the veneers are made?

No. Most dentists will provide temporary veneers to protect your teeth during this time. At Alexandra Dental Care though, there is no need for you to wait. Using CEREC, our in house technology, we can produce the veneers on site for you whilst you wait. This takes approximately one hour and means you can have your new veneers fitted in a single appointment.

Will they stay attached?

The dental adhesive used is very strong and should offer sufficient bonding qualities to ensure security for your dental veneers under normal circumstances. However, biting down too hard, for example chewing a pen lid or your finger-nails, can occasionally cause a veneer to become displaced.

And if a veneer does come off?

In the unlikely event that this happens, please don’t attempt to repair them yourself! Believe it or not, there have been cases of DIY dentistry where people have tried to refit veneers and crowns themselves using domestic glue. Understandably this leads to more damage and more dental bills to rectify the problems. So please don’t attempt anything like this.

If your veneer becomes detached, simply call us for an emergency dental appointment and we will do all that we can to see you as soon as possible.

For more information about dental veneers, or our range of other cosmetic procedure which can significantly enhance your smile, please call us on 01283 216347.

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