Do You Have to Grind My Teeth Down
for Porcelain Veneers?
When people are planning to get
porcelain veneers, they
worry that their teeth will be ground down or damaged. This isn't true.
Here's how the procedure works.
 |
In the preparation
appointment, you are given novocain, and, in most cases, only a small
amount of tooth structure is shaved away to make space for the
porcelain veneer. Ordinarily, this is one-half of a millimeter, or
one-fiftieth of an inch—about the thickness of a fingernail. |
|
|
With
Lumineers, they are
even thinner—about three-tenths of a millimeter. In some cases,
Lumineers can be placed without any preparation of the teeth at all. |
|
|
When the porcelain veneers
are bonded on, they are bonded securely, so that they become an enamel
replacement. They become a part of your tooth, and your tooth
looks and acts like it always did. |
|
|
If you have a crown placed
on your front tooth, then your tooth really does need to be ground down. Your
tooth will be shortened substantially, and the sides will be ground so
that they are all slightly tapered, so that the crown can be slid onto
your tooth and bonded. |
If you don't want anything removed from your tooth, this can often be
done. Let Dr. Rothwell know what you want, and she will honor your desires
and explain to you what results can be achieved with the technique you
wish used. |
We create beautiful smiles |
