How modern dental veneers can help your smile with modern dental technology, dental veneers have come a long way. These thin shells are bonded to the
front surfaces of damaged teeth to camouflage flaws while looking just like real teeth. Porcelain versions particularly, as they reflect light the way tooth enamel naturally does. Veneers are also available in composite resin.
Veneers are also strong, durable, and stain-resistant. With the help of digital imaging technology, some can be made in a day. While they are considered cosmetic dentistry, they also protect teeth surfaces that have sustained damaged.
These custom-crafted dental restorations can overcome a variety of cosmetic dental concerns, such as:
- Wear and tear on tooth enamel, including cracked and chipped teeth.
- Gaps between teeth due to genetics, which can grow wider over time.
- Discolored tooth enamel, whether due to time, habits such as smoking, drinking staining beverages, taking certain medications, or even genetics.
- Teeth that are uneven because of tooth grinding and clenching in your sleep or daytime stress.
You may qualify for dental veneers if your oral cavity is healthy. Your teeth and gums must be in good condition, so you can’t have tooth decay, gum disease or root canal infections and be veneer-ready.
So, first, make sure your smile is in good shape (your dentist can help you with this) and then you can move forward with dental veneers. Your dentist will make a thorough evaluation of your smile to determine if your mouth is suited for veneers, and discuss your options with you.
Porcelain veneers are a permanent restoration. Most require removing a layer of tooth enamel to allow the veneers to attach, which is still less material removed as compared to dental crown restorations.
While they are strong, they cannot withstand habitual nighttime tooth grinding or clenching, an oral condition known as bruxism. If you have bruxism, your unprotected veneers may break off. With bruxism, if your dentist is able to provide bruxism treatment (a nightguard) then you can wear veneers.
If your veneers are custom-crafted in a laboratory it will take two appointments. If your veneer is prefabricated, the appointment will be a single visit. Lumineers are done in two visits, and CEREC veneers are done in one. Lumineers are also typically attached without removing tooth surfaces, which also makes them reversible. Most dental veneers, however, are permanent.
Dental veneers are a viable option for improving your smile with a proven track record of success. You must take good care of them, as they can break or fall off. Your dentist will give you the information you need to keep the veneers strong for years to come.
