Dental Services

Dental Veneers or Laminates

Dental veeners can now provide long-term restoration for beautiful white smiles.

Porcelain veneers, also termed dental veneers or dental porcelain laminates, are one of cosmetic dentistry's more recent developments. Porcelain veneers are wafer-thin shells of porcelain that can be bonded onto the front side of teeth to make a cosmetic improvement in the teeth's appearance.

Porcelain veneers are routinely used to idealize teeth that are:

• Stained or discolored
• Worn
• Chipped
• Misaligned
• Alternative to orthodontic treatment

For decades dentists have had available to them materials that can create a durable bond to tooth enamel. These bonding materials are used to securely attach a thin sheet of porcelain (the porcelain veneer) to a tooth. Although porcelain is inherently brittle, when it is firmly bonded to a sturdy substructure (a tooth) it becomes very strong and durable.

In the past, cosmetic dental bonding materials were susceptible to staining and discoloring. This was especially a problem for those people whose teeth had excessive exposure to tea, coffee, red wine, or cigarette smoking. A significant advantage of porcelain veneers is related to the fact that a porcelain veneer's surface is just that, porcelain. Since porcelain is a ceramic, and therefore glass-like, its surface is extremely smooth and impervious - this means that the surface of a porcelain veneer will not pick up permanent stains.

For any dental veneers related questions or to schedule an appointment, please call us at 703.370.2333 or email us, and our staff will be happy to assist you.

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