What are Composite Veneers?

Composite veneers are created by building up composite resin material over your tooth’s natural structure. Typically, there’s no need for drilling, but in some cases, we may need to lightly roughen the top surface of your tooth, although we always strive to keep this to a minimum to ensure conservative treatment.

We then use a UV light to harden the material, and then we’ll polish and contour the veneers to achieve the appearance you desire.

You’ll find that composite veneers, along with composite bonding and veneers, serve as a less invasive alternative to traditional dental treatments like Dental Crowns.

What Is Composite Bonding?

Composite bonding is a safe and conservative cosmetic dental treatment for you. It involves applying composite resin material to your existing tooth structure. It’s an excellent choice if you have chipped, fractured, worn-down, or discoloured teeth. With composite bonding, we can not only restore your tooth’s health and function but also achieve a highly aesthetic result. If you have gaps between your teeth, composite bonding can be a great way for you to close those spaces.

Clearing all necessary treatment

Before starting your Veneer treatment process, it is important to ensure that any existing dental issues, such as cavities or gum disease, are treated. This may involve procedures like fillings, root canals, or wisdom teeth removal.

It is important to get any existing dental problems fixed before having cosmetic work done for several reasons.

Cosmetic dental treatments such as veneers and teeth whitening can only address aesthetic concerns, not underlying dental issues such as tooth decay, gum disease, or tooth misalignment. If these dental problems are not addressed before cosmetic work, they can continue to worsen and eventually compromise the success and longevity of the cosmetic treatment.

Some dental problems can even worsen due to cosmetic work. For example, if you have untreated tooth decay, applying veneers or undergoing teeth whitening can cause further damage to the decayed tooth, leading to complications such as infection or tooth loss.

Addressing any dental problems before cosmetic work can help ensure that the cosmetic treatment is successful and long-lasting. For example, if you have crooked teeth, it may be necessary to have orthodontic treatment before getting veneers to ensure that the veneers fit properly and look natural.

Digital Smile Design

During your appointment, your doctor will discuss your goals and expectations for your new smile. This may include talking about the size, shape, and colour of the veneers. Your doctor will also explain the different types of veneers available and help you choose the best option for your specific needs.

Next, a digital smile design will be created using advanced software. This will allow you to see a 3D model of your new smile, including how the veneers will look and fit with your existing teeth. Your dentist will work with you to make any necessary adjustments to the design to ensure that you are completely happy with the results.

Once the digital design is complete, an iTero 3D scan of your teeth will be taken. This involves using a handheld device that takes hundreds of images of your teeth and gums, which are then stitched together to create a highly accurate 3D model.

The iTero scan is then sent to the laboratory, where skilled technicians will use the digital design to create a “trial smile” wax-up. This is essentially a temporary set of veneers that are made from a wax material. The wax-up is designed to fit over your existing teeth, giving you a preview of what your new smile will look like once the veneers are placed.

(7 days later) Trial Smile Appointment

At your trial smile appointment you will see your Trial Smile (wax-up), these are trial versions of your final veneers. This is your final opportunity to make any changes to the veneers in terms of shape and colour (if necessary). If you are happy with your Trial Smile, we can progress to the final stage of your veneer journey. We will complete any tooth preparation at this stage if needed. Temporary Veneers will be placed whilst you wait for your final appointment.

What is a Wax-Up?

We create a wax-up model to use as an ‘index’. This is then used to place temporary Veneers on your teeth.

The index is used twice:

During your trial smile to show you what the final veneers will look like (not the colour or texture), but the size and overall smile.

To place temporary veneers after the preparation appointment (whilst waiting for the final veneers to arrive).

 

(7 days later) Final Smile Appointment

At this appointment, we will remove the temporary veneers that were placed during the previous appointment and cement your permanent ones in place.
Before we begin, we will thoroughly clean your teeth and ensure that the veneers fit properly and comfortably. This may involve making minor adjustments to the veneers to ensure a perfect fit.

Once we are satisfied with the fit and appearance of the veneers, we will prepare your teeth for cementation.

To do this, we will gently etch the surface of your teeth to create a rough surface that will help the cement bond to the tooth. We will then apply a dental bonding agent to the surface of the tooth and place the veneer on top. The veneer will be carefully positioned and aligned before the cement is cured using a special light.

After the cement has cured, we will check your bite to ensure that your teeth come together properly and comfortably. We may make further adjustments to the veneers if necessary to ensure optimal comfort and function.

Once we are satisfied with the fit and appearance of your new veneers, we will provide you with detailed instructions on how to care for them. This may include brushing and flossing techniques, dietary restrictions, and regular follow-up appointments to ensure that your veneers are functioning properly and your oral health is maintained.

The final smile appointment is an exciting moment in the veneer process, where you will finally see the results of your treatment. Our team of dental professionals will take the utmost care to ensure that your veneers are properly cemented and adjusted for optimal function and aesthetics. We will also provide you with comprehensive care instructions to help you maintain your new smile for years to come.

Review / 1 Week Follow-Up
(7 days later) After your treatment

We are committed to providing our patients with the best possible care, even after their treatment is completed. As part of our comprehensive approach to dental care, we will follow up with you one week after your veneer treatment.

During this follow-up appointment, our team of dental professionals will assess your teeth and oral hygiene to ensure that everything is healing properly. We will also take after photos to compare with your before photos and document the results of your treatment. This will help us to track your progress and make any necessary adjustments to your treatment plan.

In addition to checking your teeth and oral hygiene, we will also take the time to discuss how you are finding life with your new smile. We will answer any questions you may have and provide you with additional care instructions and tips to help you maintain your veneers and keep your smile looking its best.

At SmileBox we understand that getting veneers is a significant investment in your dental health and appearance. That’s why we are committed to providing our patients with the highest level of personalised care, even after their treatment is completed.