Veneers in Darien

Cosmetic

Thin custom shells bonded to the front of teeth to cover stains, chips, decay or irregularities that whitening and bonding cannot address.

Veneers change the front surface of a tooth: its shape, its colour, its position in the line of your smile. They are the answer when whitening alone will not get you there.

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Porcelain dental veneers at B&R Dentists in Darien, IL

What’s included

  • Covers stains, chips, decay and irregularities
  • Custom made by a dental technician from our model
  • More stable colour and longer lasting than bonding
  • A less expensive alternative to full crowns
  • Designed with your face and other teeth in mind

About Veneers

Veneers are thin shells intended to cover the front side of teeth to hide stains, chips, decay, or irregularities. A dental technician uses a model created by a dentist to make a custom shell out of special materials. Because veneers require removing some enamel, they are usually permanent. Your dentist will typically recommend avoiding food and drink that will stain your veneers. Veneers can chip or crack, but overall the results are worthwhile and many people are thrilled with their new smile. Veneers are an alternative to more expensive crowns. Porcelain veneers require multiple visits, but they last longer and provide a more stable color than bonding.

What Veneers Are Used For

Deep discolouration that whitening cannot shift: tetracycline staining, a single dark tooth after old trauma or root canal treatment, or general greying that bleaching has already been tried on. Chipped or worn edges, particularly on the front teeth. Teeth that are slightly out of line or rotated, where the patient does not want orthodontics for a small correction. Gaps between front teeth. Teeth that are small, short or an awkward shape relative to their neighbours. Enamel defects that leave white or mottled patches. Veneers are a cosmetic solution, so they are appropriate when the teeth underneath are structurally sound; a tooth that is heavily broken down needs a crown instead, and we will say so.

Benefits of Veneers

Porcelain does not stain the way natural enamel or composite bonding does, so the colour you leave with is very close to the colour you keep, which is the main reason veneers outperform bonding over time. Because each one is made by a technician from a model, the shape can be designed rather than approximated: length, width, the curve of the edge and how the teeth relate to your lip line can all be controlled. They correct several things at once, so a tooth that is simultaneously chipped, slightly dark and slightly rotated is solved by one restoration rather than three treatments. And they are less expensive than crowns while covering many of the same aesthetic problems, because they only cover the front surface.

What to Expect

The first appointment is a conversation about what specifically you want changed, with photographs, so that we are working to your goal rather than a generic one. A small amount of enamel is then removed from the front of each tooth to make room for the veneer. This is the step that makes veneers permanent, because enamel does not grow back, and it is why the decision deserves proper thought. A digital impression is taken and temporaries are placed while the laboratory makes the veneers. At the fit appointment they are tried in before being bonded, so shade and shape can be checked while there is still the option to send them back. Afterward, avoid food and drink that will stain, do not use your front teeth to open things, and wear a night guard if you grind. Veneers can chip or crack, and grinding is the most common cause.

Common Questions

How long do veneers last?
Porcelain veneers commonly last ten to fifteen years and often longer. They last longer and provide a more stable colour than bonding. What shortens their life is grinding, biting hard objects, and decay in the tooth behind them, so home care still matters.
Are veneers reversible?
No. Because veneers require removing some enamel, they are usually permanent: once that enamel is gone the tooth will always need something covering it. This is the single most important thing to understand before starting, and we would rather you take time over the decision than rush it.
Veneers or whitening?
If your teeth are well-shaped and well-aligned and you simply want them lighter, whitening is cheaper, faster and does not alter the teeth. Try that first. Veneers are for when shape, alignment or a deep stain also need addressing. We will tell you which situation you are in.
Will they look fake?
Only if they are designed to be too white and too uniform. Natural teeth vary in translucency from gumline to edge and are not perfectly identical to each other. A well-made veneer reproduces that. We will show you shade options against your own face rather than a shade guide in isolation.
Do they stain?
Porcelain itself resists staining far better than natural enamel or composite. The cement margin at the gumline can pick up stain over many years, and the natural teeth beside them will continue to change colour, which is worth planning for if you are only veneering some of your front teeth.

Terms You May Hear

Veneer
A thin custom shell bonded to the front surface of a tooth to change its colour, shape or alignment.
Bonding
Tooth-coloured composite applied directly in the mouth in a single visit. Cheaper and reversible, but stains sooner and lasts less long than porcelain.
Enamel
The hard outer layer of a tooth. Once removed for a veneer it does not regenerate, which is why veneers are a permanent commitment.

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Ready to Schedule Your Appointment?

Thinking about veneers? Call (630) 427-1800 and let us tell you honestly whether they are the right route for what you want to change.

Request an Appointment(630) 427-1800