Porcelain Veneers

What is a Porcelain Veneer?

Porcelain veneers are extremely thin (about the thickness of a business card) sheets of porcelain that are bonded to the front of your teeth to conceal various flaws and enhance the appearance of your smile. Porcelain is the material of choice because it most naturally replicates human enamel. They are used to change the shape, color, size, and symmetry of the teeth and smile.

woman smiling because she loves the color of her porcelain veneers from 21st Century Dentistry in Nashville
woman smiling with beautiful porcelain veneers she got from 21st century dentistry in Nashville

Advanced Technology

The porcelain systems we have today are technologically much different than they were in the past. You may have seen veneers that look unnatural or remind you of Chiclets. That is due to the use of a very opaque and monochromatic porcelain or a porcelain crown with a metal base underneath. The advanced technology we have today produces veneers that are stronger, more translucent like your natural teeth, and free of any metals.

Porcelain Veneer Process

At 21st Century Dentistry, we use experience, skill, and art to make sure every case is a success. Our doctors have over 40 years of experience combined, and they follow a systematic approach to ensure that every case goes smoothly. At the end of the day, we want you to have a smile you are excited to show off!

Check out our step-by-step process below.

  • Step 1: Consultation: The first step in the porcelain veneer process is for you to come in for a consultation and discuss your options. We’ll take digital images of your teeth and smile, and we’ll talk about your objectives. We’ll show you pictures of other amazing smiles to see what appeals to you, and we’ll offer guidance for which smile might best match the shape and contours of your face. Our entire team is dedicated to understanding what you are looking for. We offer custom treatment plans for every situation, whether it’s only two porcelain veneers or a full-mouth restoration of 28 teeth. You’ll receive a personalized treatment plan for best achieving your goals and we’ll walk you through the details. By the time this appointment is finished, our doctors will have created the formula that will give you EXACTLY the smile you want, and more than you might have thought possible!
  • Step 2: Your Blueprint: Once we’ve established the cosmetic plan for your smile we take impressions (models) of your teeth and send these with detailed instructions to our dental lab. There, a ceramist will mount your models on a chewing simulator and place wax on the teeth to mimic what your veneers will look like. This “wax-up” blueprint ensures the restorations will not only look great, but also function properly in your mouth.
  • Step 3: The Preparation Appointment & Your Temporaries: Following the wax-up, we are ready to proceed with doing any necessary re-contouring of the teeth. We’ll numb the teeth with local anesthetic and shape them in preparation for your new veneers. We will take new impressions and send these to the dental lab for fabrication of your actual veneers. At the conclusion of this appointment, we will make temporary veneers that you will wear for the next few weeks. This test drive gives us the opportunity to make modifications, whether functional or cosmetic. We can make adjustments if they’re too long, too short, too round, etc. We will communicate these changes with the dental lab prior to final fabrication of your veneers.
  • Step 4: The “Seat” Appointment: The final step is the placement and bonding of your new porcelain veneers. This is the big day! At this seat appointment we remove the temporaries and try on the porcelain veneers to make sure the fit and color is perfect. We then permanently bond in the porcelain veneers. Once they are all seated, we will check your bite and make any necessary adjustments. The process is now complete!