Services - Porcelain Veneers/Lumineers

Below are a few FAQs regarding porcelain veneers. If you don’t find the answer to your question below, be sure to contact us directly.

What is a porcelain veneer?

Veneers are amazingly thin (1/100th of an inch thin) porcelain ‘shells’ custom made and permanently bonded to the front surface of teeth. Veneers are so strong and lifelike that they are thought of as ‘cloned enamel.’ This durability and natural beauty has caused a revolution in cosmetic dentistry.

What can porcelain veneers do for my smile?

Porcelain veneers are often used to change the color of dark and stained teeth. Veneers can also close gaps and spaces, brighten one tooth or entire smiles, block out stains and even correct uneven, chipped or worn teeth. Crowded and rotated teeth can also be perfected.

How natural looking are veneers?

Veneers look more natural than any other kind of restoration. Many dentists could mistake a veneered tooth for a natural tooth. The porcelain reflects light from within, as does natural enamel. The colour and shape is designed by esthetic experts to look exactly like a natural tooth.

What involved in the veneering process?

Veneers usually take two appointments:

• On your first visit, an impression is made and the mold is sent where your veneers are crafted
• On your next visit, we ensure the veneers are a good fit. Teeth are moderately etched to prepare for placement but there is no removal of sensitive tooth structure, unlike the painful part of traditional techniques. The veneers are then bonded to natural teeth and set in place with a curing light.

How much do veneers cost?

The cost depends on several factors. To obtain a specific estimate, we need to examine your mouth. After a diagnostic examination, we recommend the treatment that is best for you and what your cost would be.

What kind of veneers does Nova Dental use?

We use Lumineers by Cerinate. Lumineers are contact lens-thin and are placed over existing teeth without having to remove painful tooth structure (unlike traditional veneers). Lumineers can only be made from patented Cerinate porcelain unavailable anywhere other than Cerinate. The benefits of using Lumineers include:

• No reduction of sensitive tooth structure
• No shots
• Two easy dental visits
• Permanently whitens

Other types of veneers (prepped) are used in some situations. We strive to keep tooth preparation to a minimum… ask your doctor which type is right for you.