One of the most popular and successful cosmetic dental procedures asked about by patients near Sedona and Cottonwood, AZ dentist Chris Marsh dental office is dental veneers.

What are porcelain veneers?

Porcelain veneers, often alternatively termed teeth veneers or dental porcelain laminates, are wafer-thin shells of ceramic glass which are bonded onto the front side of teeth to make a cosmetic improvement in their appearance. Porcelain veneers offer versatility, effectiveness, and a natural-looking option for concealing teeth that are discolored, worn, chipped, or misaligned. You might think of them as being like a false fingernail.

What are the advantages of porcelain veneers over other types of cosmetic dental bonding?

Two of the greatest advantages of porcelain veneers over other types of cosmetic dental bonding are:

• Veneers for teeth create a very life-like tooth appearance
• Porcelain veneers resist staining

Minimal Prep or “No-Prep” Veneers

Some patients are looking for another choice to traditional porcelain dental veneers or tooth bonding, but know that this treatment option is not suitable for everyone.

Just as with traditional teeth veneers, “no-prep” or minimal preparation veneers— so called because they usually don’t require Sedona dentist Chris Marsh to remove as much tooth structure, are bonded to the front surface of your tooth. Frequently, the placement of no-prep veneers for teeth can be done more efficiently and with less pain than conventional veneers.

Porcelain veneers offer a natural-looking option for concealing cracks, discolorations, and other flaws in teeth. Chris Marsh, DMD of Sedona, AZ, uses porcelain veneers to give Sedona residents a completely new and natural looking smile.

What is the average cost of porcelain veneers?

It is perfectly understandable that many of our Sedona dental care patients must weigh porcelain veneers costs against the benefits that teeth veneers have to offer. As with any dental treatment, the cost of dental veneers will vary by treatment. Some of the factors that affect the total cost of veneers include the complexity of the patient’s case, the number of veneers that will be placed, the dental materials such as zirconia and porcelain that the veneers will be composed of, the quality of the Sedona dental art (the dental ceramist laboratory) in creating the veneers and the training and credentials of the dentist applying the veneers. With all of these expenses taken into consideration, it is true that porcelain teeth veneers are one of the more costly beautifying treatments. By and large, veneers for teeth are not covered by dental insurance, since porcelain veneers are considered a cosmetic option. However, patients must also take into account the whole enhancement that is made to the smile and the blend of dental treatments that would need to be combined in order to produce like results. For instance, the average cost of porcelain veneers in the United States is approximately $900 to $1,500 per veneer. This may sound expensive, but teeth veneers can produce the aesthetic results of teeth bleaching, tooth colored fillings, dental caps, and even orthodontics.

During your visit, we will be sure to give you a customized price quote.

How Long Will Cosmetic Porcelain Teeth Veneers and Porcelain Crowns Last?

The short answer is that properly done porcelain veneers usually last a very long time!

They are like a car, how long your car lasts depends on what brand of car your bought, how well it was maintained, did you complete all of your routine services in a timely manner, in what environments do you drive it, how many miles do you drive every year, and did you avoid getting into any auto accidents.

How good was the dentist who placed the teeth veneers?  What kind of dental material did the family dentist use?  How good was the dental laboratory that actually made the veneers?  What kind of bonding technique did the Sedona dentist use? Do you see the dental hygienist regularly and maintain good dental hygiene?  Do you grind or clench your teeth in the day or at night?  If so, do you wear a dental guard?  Have you ever fallen or gotten a hurtful blow to your teeth? Have you ever eaten something soft like an olive and while chewing found something very hard (like a pit) and unexpected when you chomp down?

I have some red rock patients who are still wearing unbroken dental veneers for fifteen years plus.  Today, with better techniques and dental materials, I’m thinking that many of my porcelain veneers may last even a lifetime.  Still, there is no dentist who can warranty that the veneers or dental crowns they placed will last a lifetime, but that certainly is my goal.  Again, the short answer is that properly done dental veneers should last an extremely long time provided you don’t have a mishap with them.

Now, let’s look at worst-case scenario.  You had eight cosmetic dental veneers placed seven years ago and then one evening you broke a single tooth veneer.  Do you have to replace all of your veneers?  Never!  Just replace the one that fractured.  The same pertains to porcelain dental crowns.

When I hear patients tell me they have had porcelain veneers or porcelain caps placed by another dentist that only lasted a few years I usually think to myself, why did they fail?  The most everyday reason is they bit down on something very hard accidentally.  The next common reason is that they grind or clench their teeth, and this habit destroys the veneers or crowns.  Another reason is the materials used.  Back in the 90’s we didn’t have the stronger longer lasting materials we do now such EMax or Lumineer porcelain, the material of choice for our practice. This material is incredibly strong and long lasting.

Producing the Ultimate Veneer

Before we can begin the process of making your porcelain veneers Dr. Marsh must first evaluate and document the present condition of your teeth. As a part of this examination we may need to take digital x-rays as well as photographs. We may also need to take dental impressions (dental molds) to facilitate your Arizona smile for our dental designers.

During the examination appointment you will need to convey to us the types of changes you are interested in obtaining. We in turn will help you understand to what extent the changes you desire are possible.

To get started with your new Sedona smile, make an appointment with us!