Before getting veneers, you should practice good oral hygiene and ensure your teeth are ready for the procedure. Your dentist should treat any underlying gum or dental concerns before you proceed.
Getting porcelain veneers usually takes two to three visits over six weeks. The steps typically include:
- Consultation: You will discuss your dental concerns with your dental care provider and select your preferred tooth color and shape at your consultation. Your visit will also likely include a thorough dental examination and X-ray imaging.
- Tooth preparation and molding: At your next visit, your dentist will use a local anesthetic (using agents that numb and prevent pain in the area being worked on) and/or sedation (using agents that relax your entire body) while they reshape your teeth, remove a small amount of enamel, and make a mold of your teeth to send off to a dental lab. You might be given temporary veneers to wear until your next visit.
- Placement and adjustment: At your third visit, your dentist will bond your new veneers to your natural teeth. They will finish up by polishing and adjusting them as necessary. You may have to return for follow-up appointments to ensure that your veneers are placed correctly.
The process for resin-based composite veneers is often shorter and less complex than with porcelain. After your teeth are prepared, your dentist will shape and harden the composite material and bond it to your teeth.
If your dentist uses in-office computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology to create the composite material, you may even be able to complete the procedure in a single visit.