No comments yet.
RSS feed for comments on this post.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
If you’ve ever looked into cosmetic dentistry, you likely know about dental veneers. They’re thin layers of porcelain that dentists place on teeth to cover smile flaws. You might wonder, though, why their placement removes bits of enamel. In particular, you may ask yourself, “Just how much enamel needs to be removed for veneers?” Well, your Buda dentist is here to answer that and similar questions. Here’s a summary of the veneer process, why it removes enamel, and how much is taken for treatment.
What’s Involved in the Veneer Process?
Unlike what you might think, dentists can’t place veneers in just one short dental visit. To complete treatment, they have patients go through two appointments: the preparation visit and the final placement.
Preparation Visit
Your dentist “prepares” your teeth for veneers during the preparation visit. They first remove a small amount of your tooth enamel to do so. Next, they make a model of your mouth and send it off to a dental lab. Said lab will create your permanent veneers over a 2–3-week period.
The Final Placement
Per its name, the final placement is when your dentist applies the veneers to your teeth. In particular, they’ll bond the veneers with special cement. They’ll also use the appointment to make some final, last-minute adjustments.
Once the veneers are set on your teeth, you’ll get to see the results and bring up any remaining concerns.
Why Do Veneers Remove Enamel?
In general, there are two reasons why a dentist removes some enamel for veneer treatment:
- To help secure the veneers: Dentists need to remove some enamel for the veneers to stick to your teeth. Doing so creates a surface that the prosthetics can adhere to.
- To keep your teeth from looking bulky: If a dentist didn’t remove any enamel, veneers would make a patient’s teeth look bulky. Thanks to the removal, though, treatment results in a natural-looking smile.
How Much Enamel Do Veneers Remove?
In most cases, dentists only shave off about 0.5 mm of enamel. Once that amount is gone, the ceramic can lay flat against your tooth and create a smooth, beautiful surface.
Remember: Dentists want to converse as much of your natural tooth as possible. Since enamel doesn’t grow back, they really don’t want to take much.
In the end, not much enamel needs to be removed for veneers. You can trust, then, that these ceramic layers stand for a cosmetic procedure that’s both safe and effective.
About the Practice
Buda Dental Professionals is based in Buda, TX. As led by Drs. Strickland, Taylor, and Carlyon, our practice is deeply committed to high-quality dental care. That said, we offer customized preventive, cosmetic, and restorative treatments — including porcelain dental veneers! Our office can also perform sedation services for patients with dental anxiety. For more information or to book an appointment, you can reach us on our website or by phone at (512)-295-5555.