Question:
I had porcelain veneers on my front teeth due to enamel erosion. This was about 10 years ago. Since then my gums have receded, thus leaving a bigger gap than before. I'm conscious of this and are considering new ones. My question is would it be a difficult process to remove my veneers and what does it entail?
—Sarah
Sarah:
Replacing porcelain veneers is the same process as getting them in the first place. Since porcelain veneers bond to the tooth and become just like your enamel, removing them is the same process as shaving down the enamel. About one-half millimeter, which is approximately the thickness of a fingernail, is shaved from the fronts of the teeth, and then an impression is taken of this, and a model made. Our master ceramist then creates the veneers on this model first, and then Dr. Chal bonds them onto your teeth.
The only difference if you already have had veneers is that Dr. Chal makes sure that the old veneer material is completely cleaned off. If your current veneers are thicker than a half of a millimeter, Dr. Chal will just remove the remaining veneer material until he is down to your natural tooth structure. For an experienced cosmetic dentist like Dr. Chal, who knows how to tell porcelain from enamel, this is a fairly straightforward task. If a gentle blast of air is used, tooth structure won't dry out, where porcelain will, and it will look frosty. Dr. Chal can set his handpiece to blow dry air as he works, thus making this part of the procedure fast and simple.
Links to related information:
Visit Dr. Chal's web site—see impressive photos of his work and read the testimonials of grateful patients.
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