Porcelain Veneers in Bloomington, MN

From Damaged Teeth to Dream Smile

Satisfied patient at Normandaledental

Dr. Matha Discusses Thieda, Crowns & Veneers Patient

Hide Flaws, Fix Chips

Do you hold back from smiling because you’re embarrassed about the appearance of your teeth? Your smile is a natural and unique part of who you are, but if you dislike how yours looks, it can significantly impact your self-confidence. To help you regain confidence in your smile and yourself, we offer porcelain veneers in Bloomington, MD, a cosmetic dentistry treatment that hides tooth imperfections such as chips, gaps, discoloration, or crookedness. Our cosmetic dentist at Normandale Dental is experienced in the artistic and technical aspects of these custom smile makeovers and can create your dream smile in as few as two appointments with porcelain veneers!

Who should get Porcelain Veneers?

Virtually all patients with cosmetic problems are candidates for dental veneers if they are in good oral health. As a cosmetic dentistry treatment, veneers aren’t meant to resolve functional issues with teeth, such as a bad bite (malocclusion). Instead, they can be a great option if you have the following issues in your smile zone, or the teeth that show when you smile:

A picture at Normandaledental

Our Dental Veneers Process

Porcelain veneer treatment is a highly personalized and detailed process at our Bloomington, MD practice. To provide the greatest aesthetics, veneers must both hide problem teeth and provide the appearance of a new smile that looks and feels completely natural. During your first appointment, our cosmetic dentist will remove a few millimeters of the front surface of your tooth enamel. This ensures that your custom dental veneers fit naturally and comfortably over your existing teeth. Next, we’ll take impressions of your modified teeth, which will be used to hand-design your veneers to the most ideal size, shape, and color for a beautiful new smile.

When these restorations are ready, you’ll return to our cosmetic dentistry practice in Bloomington, MD for a second appointment where we’ll verify the final fit of your veneers and then bond them securely to your teeth. You won’t need to complete any special maintenance with veneers, and though they won’t stain as natural teeth do, you should continue brushing and flossing each day. The long-lasting result of your smile makeover is a series of dental veneers that complement your gum and lip line, facial features, and skin tone! In short, you’ll have the smile of your dreams, and one that will last you for many years to come.

Read Our Veneers Patient Testimonials

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Thieda - Veneer Patient

"Normandale Dental Delivering Promises."

Porcelain Veneers are your Personalized Cosmetic Solution

Application of Porcelain Veneers 3

One of the first things people see about you is your smile. If you are embarrassed by the condition of your teeth, you may not smile very much. This can make people feel like you are aloof or even rude. If you have cosmetic issues with your teeth, you might want to consider porcelain veneers, a personalized cosmetic solution to your damaged teeth, giving you the confidence to smile, talk, and even laugh again.

The word “veneer” comes from the French word “fournir”, which means “to furnish”. So, just like you furnish your home to make it look nice, you can use veneers to furnish your teeth and make them look nice.

Composite veneers are more budget-friendly, but porcelain is more natural-looking and durable. Veneers are used when the primary goal is to improve appearance instead of teeth that have been damaged from decay or trauma.

Many times, a small amount of enamel must be removed to create space for the veneer to be attached. Veneers can be used on one tooth or for several. If needed, a full set can be applied to all visible teeth. They are designed to match the color of the surrounding teeth. Research shows that approximately 2% of the population has veneers and filings.

Depending on the type and material, veneers will last 5 to 20 years. They are all designed to be strong, so you won’t have any restrictions when it comes to what you can eat/drink once they are in place.    

What are Porcelain Veneers?

Teeth whitening done for a beautiful girl

Porcelain veneers are thin shells that are customized to improve your smile. They can be used to change the overall appearance of your teeth, including color and shape. They are strong, stain-resistant, long-lasting, and look natural. Since the results last longer, many of our patients at Normandale Dental choose veneers over tooth whitening or dental bonding procedures.

There are several reasons why patients consider getting porcelain veneers:

  • They can lengthen teeth that have been worn down

  • They can fill gaps between teeth

  • They can cover up damaged or crooked teeth

  • They can hide discolored teeth, giving you a bright, white smile

Porcelain Veneers: Step-by-Step Procedure

  1. When you are getting porcelain veneers, each one is crafted individually in the lab, which can take 1 to 3 weeks.
  2. After your teeth are filed down, Dr. Matha will take an impression to send to the lab. This will be used to ensure that your veneers are a perfect fit. It can also be used to create a mask to plan the end result- especially if significant changes are being made to the size and shape of your teeth.
  3. At this point, you will be provided with temporary veneers to protect your prepared teeth while you wait for your permanent ones to be crafted. Once your veneers are ready, we will schedule you to come in and have them placed.
  4. At this time, Dr. Matha will clean your teeth and use acid to roughen up the surface of the veneer and the tooth so that they will adhere. A strong dental adhesive will be used to secure the veneer to the tooth.
  5. Fitting the veneers may take up to 2 hours, depending on how many veneers are being placed. The process is not painful, but many patients find it difficult to sit still for so long, so a general anesthetic may be administered.
  6. A rubber dam will be used to isolate the tooth or teeth that are being worked on to keep the surface dry. Any moisture will prevent the adhesive from bonding.

Benefits of Porcelain Veneers in Bloomington, MN

Porcelain veneers will last for a long time because they are stronger than other types of veneers. Since porcelain doesn’t stain, you can choose a shade that matches your smile so it will look natural. Additionally, if you choose to cover all of your visible teeth, you can choose veneers that are a bit lighter than your natural teeth so that you have a brighter, whiter smile. Basically, porcelain veneers improve your smile- which improves your overall confidence.

Composite Veneers vs. Porcelain Veneers

Composite veneers are made of composite resin. This is a tooth-colored filling material that will bond with the tooth. Composite veneers don’t require as much enamel to be removed because they are thinner than porcelain. Also, they are more budget-friendly and don’t require as many visits to the dentist to have placed. If they are damaged, composite veneers are easier to repair or replace. However, it’s important to note that composite veneers are not stain-resistant, and they are not as durable as porcelain.

Cost of Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers are more expensive than composite resin. The average cost of porcelain veneers ranges from around $925 to $2,500 per tooth. However, they are durable and last for 10 to 15+ years with proper care. On the other hand, composite veneers cost $250 to $1,500 per tooth but usually only last 5 to 7 years.

Dental insurance may cover a portion of the cost of porcelain veneers. Our office staff will work with your insurance provider to determine coverage. In addition to accepting a variety of dental insurances, we also offer financing through Proceed Finance, CareCredit, and GreenSky. These options allow you to pay for your treatment upfront and make smaller, more manageable payments to the finance company.

Are Porcelain Veneers Right For You?

Dentists discussing a case

If you are interested in learning more about porcelain veneers and whether or not they are right for you, schedule your consultation with Dr. Matha and the team today. At Normandale Dental, we want your visit to our clinic to be pleasant and we believe that part of that is helping you understand your options.

Normandale Dental is not your average dental clinic. We offer a variety of spa-like amenities to make your visit more comfortable. We have noise-canceling headphones, warm, scented towels, blankets/pillows, and more.

Dr. Matha is one of the best cosmetic and restorative dentists in Bloomington. He works with patients of all ages to find the best solution for their dental needs. Our office hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Friday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. We do offer Saturday and evening appointments for emergencies.

Frequently Asked Questions about Porcelain Veneers

At Normandale Dental, our patients often have questions when it comes to cosmetic dental procedures such as porcelain veneers.

Porcelain veneers are more expensive than other types, but they last much longer. On average, porcelain veneers cost $925 to $2,500 per tooth. However, they will last 15+ years. Composite veneers, on the other hand, cost $250 to $1,500 per tooth and may only last up to 7 years.

Porcelain veneers will last 15+ years with proper care and maintenance. After that, they will need to be replaced. In fact, a study from 2012 indicated that 94.4% of patients had their original veneers after 5 years, 93.5% still had them at 10 years, and 82.9% still had them at 20 years. The primary reason for failure was bruxism.

The best part is, you are in control of how long your veneers last. In order to ensure they last as long as possible, keep the following in mind:

  • Avoid foods/beverages that stain: porcelain veneers are stain-resistant, which means they are not likely to stain with these foods/beverages. However, your remaining natural teeth will become stained, so they will no longer match your veneers.

  • Avoid grinding teeth: tooth grinding, also known as bruxism, is a bad habit no matter what- but it’s especially bad if you have porcelain veneers. It places a lot of pressure on the veneers and could damage them. If you do have a history of bruxism, make sure to let Dr. Matha and the team know so that we can recommend that you wear a mouth guard while you sleep to protect your veneers.

  • Practice good oral hygiene: one of the best things about porcelain veneers is that you don’t have to do anything special to maintain them. However, the effort you put into caring for your natural teeth will impact your veneers. For example, if you don’t take care of your oral health and your gums begin to recede, the edges of your veneers may be visible, which takes away from their aesthetics. Tooth decay will also impact the beauty of your veneers.

As long as you are brushing twice daily and flossing at least once, you should be able to preserve your veneers for as long as possible. Make sure that you are using a non-abrasive toothpaste.

There are several dental issues that can be addressed by porcelain veneers, including:

  • Misaligned/uneven teeth

  • Irregularly shaped teeth

  • Cracked/chipped teeth

  • Gapped teeth

  • Discolored teeth

While porcelain veneers are ideal for treating several different dental issues, they are not for everyone. This is not an appropriate solution for patients who have the following issues:

  • Severely worn down teeth or teeth with deep cavities that require other treatments or restorations before veneers can be placed

  • Misaligned jaw

  • Gum disease or periodontitis

  • Have a habit of grinding teeth when sleeping or when awake

  • Don’t follow proper oral hygiene habits

You will be given anesthesia during the process, so you won’t feel anything. For most patients, recovery isn’t painful. However, it is important to note that about half of veneer patients do experience sensitivity to the adhesive that is used. This may cause some discomfort for up to 6 hours after the anesthesia wears off and then should subside.

As your gums get adjusted to the veneers, you may have some soreness, especially if you have more than 8 veneers- but OTC pain reliever should help.

If you are experiencing extreme pain or the pain does not begin to subside within a few days or your bite doesn’t feel right, contact the office right away. We will get you in and evaluate your condition.

Ready for your dream smile?

Reserve your veneers consultation in Bloomington, MD now.