With the porcelain veneer procedure, the main idea is that the enamel on the front side of the tooth is trimmed back to have the same thickness as the veneer that it will be replaced with. This way, its overall thickness will not be changed dramatically. While performing the trimming, the dentist will be using guidelines to determine the maximum amount of enamel that can be ideally removed and to try to stay within limits.

Now, if your teeth have some areas of decay, your dentist might have to trim more extensively in such areas to remove them. In theory, it is possible to bond porcelain veneers over existing white or dental composite fillings. Replacing them with new ones, however, will help ensure the most secure bond possible. It has been determined that bond strength is actually maximized if the new veneer has been placed within a period of two weeks of placement of the new feeling. The fabrication time for veneers crafted in dental laboratories typically lies on the order of the said two weeks.

The outline form of the said preparation will be given a shape where the edges of the veneer (this is where it meets your teeth) are not easily seen at a point where opposing teeth make contact.

There is actually a debate as to whether the edge of a porcelain veneer should wrap over to its backside or end right at the biting edge of the tooth. While this is definitely an issue for the dentist to decide on, if there is no temporary veneer placed, then it will affect your experience. If the veneer would wrap to the backside, then the biting edge of the tooth needs to be trimmed slightly shorter – this will feel and look more different than it used to.

How much is trimmed away?

In terms of the precise amount of tooth enamel that will be shaved off, it will be a case to case basis, but typically, it can as little as .5 to .7 millimeters. This is about twice the thickness of an eggshell. If you compare this to other dental procedures, this is actually a very small amount.

Considerations for the Porcelain Veneer Procedure

One of the prime considerations for this method is the type of veneers placed are monolithic in nature. This means that they are milled out of a single uniformly-coloured block of ceramic. Because of this, they generally lack the same lifelike characterization that can also be built into hand-crafted veneers.

If you have more questions about porcelain veneers, please feel free to call us today or visit our website for more information.