Veneers

Veneers are very thin acrylic or ceramic shells that are bonded to the outside of teeth. Veneers, whether made out of composite or ceramic material, can cover badly-stained teeth, chipped teeth, uneven teeth and large fillings. The advantage to doing a veneer instead of a crown, is that the tooth is minimally “prepped” or in the case of Lumineer brand veneers, not prepped at all. Most insurance companies classify these as non-covered cosmetic procedures.

Here's how veneers are done:

Step 1 On your first visit, your dentist may numb your teeth depending on the amount of reduction to be done. He then removes part of the enamel from your teeth to make room for the veneers (unless they are the No-Prep Lumineer veneers). Your dentist makes a mold (or an impression) of your teeth. The impression is sent to a dental lab, where your veneers are custom-made.

Step 2 On the next visit, your dentist puts a mild chemical on your teeth to make them a little rough. This helps the veneers stick to your teeth better.

Step 3 The veneers are then bonded to your teeth one by one, using composite resin cement. Because veneers are very thin, the color mostly comes from the resin cement.