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Will Enamel Thickness Affect My Candidacy for Porcelain Veneers?

One important candidacy consideration for patients that want porcelain veneers is enamel thickness. Anyone who seeks the benefits of porcelain veneers needs to have strong, healthy enamel that can support one or more veneers. If you have questions about how enamel thickness can impact your candidacy, read on to learn more. Serving Queens, NYLong Island, NY, and NYC, the team at Astoria Dental Group can help you achieve a more attractive smile.

If chipped, discolored, or misshapen teeth leave you embarrassed to smile, Drs. Clifford Degel or Carmen Every-Degel can have you fitted with porcelain veneers or minimal-prep LUMINEERS®.

Why Enamel Strength Matters

Your porcelain veneers will be bonded onto the front surface of your anterior teeth. In order for the porcelain shells to remain for 10 or more years, they must be placed on enamel that is healthy and strong.

There are also cosmetic considerations. Porcelain shells are ultra-thin, but they cannot simply be bonded onto the surface of a tooth that hasn’t been prepared. In order for a tooth to be prepared, a small layer of enamel must be removed. This creates enough space for the veneer to lie flush with the surface of adjacent teeth.

The prepping process allows for natural-looking results and a stable platform for the placement of your veneers. Some patients may be candidates for minimal-prep LUMINEERS®. Lumineers are much thinner than porcelain veneers and require less removal of enamel.

Candidacy Considerations

During your consultation and exam at our Queens, NY, dental practice, one of our doctors will examine the strength and thickness of your teeth. Most people are candidates for porcelain veneers. Potential barriers to porcelain veneers include teeth that are:

  • Heavily decayed
  • Severely chipped or cracked
  • Heavily gapped
  • Worn

If you are not a candidate for porcelain veneers, you may still be able to enjoy a transformed smile through the placement of one or more dental crowns. If your teeth are severely damaged, one or more of your teeth can be extracted and replaced with dental implants or another one of our tooth loss solutions.

How Does Tooth Prepping Work?

If you have healthy teeth, a date will be set for your tooth preparation. Before your procedure begins, local anesthesia will be used to numb your teeth. If you are having minimal-prep veneers placed, you may not need to undergo injections of anesthesia.

Once you are comfortable, your doctor will use a special drill to gently remove a small layer of enamel. Most patients report no discomfort associated with the straightforward procedure. Once your teeth are prepped, images of your teeth will be made and you will be fitted with temporary veneers.

After a few weeks, your permanent veneers will arrive. Your dentist will place the veneers using strong cement that can last 10 years or longer.

Enjoy the Benefits of a Dazzling Smile

Porcelain veneers can leave you with a beautiful, head-turning smile. If misshapen or discolored teeth leave you feeling insecure about your smile, our doctors can customize a treatment plan that helps you reach your personal goals. To schedule your porcelain veneer consultation, please contact our office online or call (718) 557-9366.

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