Dental Crowns and Veneers in Gulf Breeze, FL
What are Dental Crowns?
A dental crown is a cover or “cap” that Dr. Barrineau places over your tooth. A crown restores your tooth to normal size, shape, and function while adding strength, durability, function, and aesthetics. If a tooth is weak due to decay, fractures, or trauma, a crown can restore it back to its normal appearance while making it stronger. Crowns can also improve cosmetic issues such as size, shape, and discoloration.
What types of Dental Crowns are there?
Depending on your unique crown needs, Dr. Barrineau will suggest the material most appropriate for your tooth. We want you to be aware of all your options and is best for your situation. There are three different types of crowns that we recommend:
- All-gold crowns are the strongest and allow for less removal of tooth structure. It is the only material available that closely mimics the properties of natural teeth.
- Porcelain fused to metal (PFM) crowns have a metal core for strength and have porcelain glazed over them.
- All-ceramic crowns have no metal. All-ceramic are recommend for anterior (front) teeth due to their more natural appearance.
What is the Crown Procedure like?
If you and Dr. Barrineau decide that an all-ceramic crown is right for your needs, our new in-office technology will allow you to have your crown prepared and delivered to you in a single appointment.
If you require a crown of another material, your treatment will be completed in two appointments. During your first appointment, Dr. Barrineau will remove a small amount of existing tooth structure to allow space for the crown to be placed. Once the tooth is prepped for a crown, you will wear a temporary crown for a few weeks while the lab creates your final crown. At the second appointment, the temporary crown will be removed and the permanent crown will be cemented in place.
We work with you to make sure you are satisfied with the shape, size, and color of your crown before final placement. We want you to love your smile, and if that means sending the crown back to the lab to make some adjustments, we will do that!
Veneers in Gulf Breeze, FL
A veneer is a wafer-thin, custom-made shell of tooth-colored materials designed to cover the front surface of teeth to improve your appearance while also providing strength and resilience comparable to natural tooth enamel. They are customized to the shape of your teeth and are bonded to the tooth's original enamel during in-office procedures.
Veneers at Barrineau DDS, PA
The most commonly used material for veneers are the conventional porcelain veneer and composite resin veneers. Porcelain veneers are preferable for correcting issues of shape or color and can last anywhere from ten to 20 years. When it comes to composites, minimal prep work is required on your natural teeth, meaning that they are not permanently altered to such an extent that the composite material cannot be removed and replaced as needed.
To prepare a tooth for a porcelain veneer, Dr. Barrineau will remove about half a millimeter of enamel from the tooth surface, which is an amount nearly equal to the thickness of the veneer to be added to the tooth surface. Next, she will make a model or impression of your tooth. This model is sent out to a dental laboratory, which in turn constructs your veneer. Temporary veneers will be placed during the turnaround time. During the delivery of the permanent veneer, minor adjustments may be made to insure the proper look and fit of the final veneer before permanent seating.
Composites can typically be fabricated while you wait, making it a same-day treatment. They are actually shaped and sculpted on your teeth rather than in an offsite lab. Composite veneers also have the factor of reversibility.
Veneer Care
To ensure the longevity of your veneers, use proper brushing and flossing techniques to care for your veneers as you would your natural teeth. Routine dental examinations at our Gulf Breeze dental office are recommended. No biting or pulling forces should be used on teeth with veneers due to risk of breaking or chipping veneers.
Are veneers right for you?
Veneers are largely a permanent treatment, and having them placed is a big decision. Before you and Dr. Barrineau decide the procedure is right for you, it's important to have the right information about veneers.
Veneers are great options if you want to improve your smile with minimally invasive dentistry. Veneers can be used to correct discoloration or close minor spacing to improve your smile.
Veneers are not recommended if you have a history of chipping or breaking teeth due to either your bite or functional habits. If you have a history of this with your natural teeth, your veneers with chip and break as well. Proper diagnosis and treatment of your bite needs to be considered before placing veneers.
Dr. Barrineau and our team pride ourselves in making smiles great! We take extra care and time in making sure you will be happy with the look, color, and feel of your veneers before finalizing the process. We also educate you thoroughly in the maintenance and care of your veneers to help avoid potential issues in the future. We want you to feel informed and empowered about your decision in the veneer process.
To learn more about veneers and find out if they are right for your smile, contact our Gulf Breeze dental office and schedule an appointment!
