No More Natural Teeth: Deciding Between Implants and Dentures

Learn How Veneers Are Made

by Jeremiah Barnett

If your teeth don't look the way you want, you can get help from your dentist. Your dentist will go over possible treatment options with you and help you select the right one for your situation. Veneers are a common treatment for many dental issues including yellow teeth, gap teeth, crooked teeth, and others. If you are considering veneers, you may be interested in learning how they are made. You can find out the process for making veneers in this article.

At the dentist

The process for getting veneers will start at your dentist's office. The dentist will grind down your teeth that will have the veneers put on them. This will make the teeth smaller so there will be enough room for the veneers to fit in a natural manner. Then, your dentist will make an impression of your mouth and send it off to the dental lab. Included with the impression will be a note to the lab with the shade of your teeth on it and any other special instructions.  

At the dental lab

Once your impression gets to the dental lab it will be used to make top and bottom plaster molds of your mouth. The two molds will be fitted together to create a replica of your natural bite and hinges will be attached to the molds to hold them together and allow them to open and close. The teeth to get veneers will be cut out of the mold so they can be taken out of the mold when needed. These teeth are called the "dies".

A metal worker at the dental lab will take the dies and use them to cast a metal crown that will fit right on your tooth. Once the crown is cast, it will be sandblasted to prepare it. The inside of the crown will be drilled out some to make room for the dentist's glue.

The crown will then go to the opaquing department. Here the technician will look at the dentist's notes regarding tooth shade and use an opaque spray of the right shade to coat the tooth. Two coats will be put on the crown and the crown will go in an oven where the opaque will be baked on at an extremely hot temperature. Once the crown comes out and cools, it will be sand blasted on the inside and around the base to remove any excess opaque.

The next step will be the porcelain application. The porcelain will be put on the crown and molded by hand to match the surrounding teeth on the mold. Special care will be taken to make sure the tooth looks right against the others. The porcelain will also be color matched using the dentist's note on shades. The tooth will be given the shape of natural teeth, with veins on the top and everything. After it is correctly molded it will once again be baked at a high temperature.

Once the crown has cooled it will be checked for quality, color, and proper fit. It will be packaged and sent to your dentist. When you come in for your veneer, the dentist will use a dental cement to put the veneer in place. This process can be used for one tooth or for all your teeth. Once you leave your appointment, you will have the smile you always wanted.

If you have more questions about the process, speak to a cosmetic dentist like Dr. Robert Petrtyl.

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