Veneers Terminology
Explore our dental dictionary to learn about common veneers terms. If you have any other questions or would like to schedule an appointment, we would love to hear from you!
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Types of Veneers
- Porcelain Veneers: Thin shells of porcelain that are custom-made to fit over the front surface of your teeth.
- Composite Veneers: Made from a tooth-colored resin material and applied directly to the teeth.
- No-Prep Veneers: Require little to no preparation of the natural tooth structure before placement.
Reasons for Veneers
- Chipped or Broken Teeth: To repair minor chips or cracks in teeth.
- Discolored Teeth: To mask stains or discoloration that doesn’t respond to whitening.
- Gaps Between Teeth (Diastema): To close spaces between teeth.
- Misshapen Teeth: To improve the shape or size of teeth.
- Slightly Crooked Teeth: To improve the alignment of mildly crooked teeth.
- Worn-Down Teeth: To restore teeth that have been worn down due to grinding or age.
Veneer Procedures
- Bonding: The process of attaching the veneer to the tooth using a special dental cement.
- Etching: Applying an acidic solution to prepare the tooth surface for bonding.
- Impression: A mold taken of the prepared tooth to create a custom-made veneer.
- Preparation (for Traditional Veneers): Removing a small amount of enamel from the tooth surface to make space for the veneer.
- Temporary Veneers: Veneers worn while the permanent veneers are being made.
Related Terms
- Composite Bonding: Using composite resin to repair minor chips or cracks in teeth.
- Enamel: The hard, outer layer of the tooth.
- Lumineers: A brand of no-prep veneers.
- Smile Design: The process of planning and creating an aesthetically pleasing smile.
- Wax-up: A model of the proposed veneer placement, used for planning and visualization.