Dental Veneers

A dental veneer is a permanent thin, custom-made porcelain shell of tooth-colored materials designed to cover the front surface of teeth to improve its appearance. They are an excellent option to treat the following cosmetic occurrences:

Broken, chipped, or worn out teeth.
Gaps between teeth.
Misshapen or misaligned teeth.
Smaller than average teeth.
Severe tooth discoloration that can’t be fixed with whitening.

Benefits of Dental Veneers

Apart from fixing a number of cosmetic problems in a relatively short period of time, they are:

Easy to care for. Using a soft-bristled toothbrush and flossing your teeth as you would normally do, it’s enough.
Natural-looking. Customized to fit seamlessly into your smile.
Minimally invasive. Veneers require two to four times less tooth reduction than crowns.
Stain-resistant. Unlike natural teeth, porcelain is not porous, meaning they can’t get stained, and they won’t change color over time.
Long-lasting. Porcelain veneers can last up to 20 years, helping you maintain a smile free of imperfections.

B&A

FAQs

How are dental veneers put on teeth?

Trimming the tooth. Veneers require approximately 0.5 mm of tooth reduction. A small amount of enamel has to be removed so that the veneer over your tooth looks natural.
Taking an impression. After trimming, the dentist will take an impression of your tooth and its surrounding teeth and gums with an impression of “putty” or “paste”. This will act as a copy of your mouth for your personalized veneers to be fabricated.
Fabricating the veneers. The impressions are sent to the dental lab, where veneers will be custom-fabricated. The time required for them to get done is approximately one week, although this may vary.
Cementing. At your next appointment, your teeth will be cleaned and prepared for the veneers to be bonded or cemented according to your tooth’s shape.

Are dental veneers permanent?

Since they are made with very durable material, dental veneers can last up to 20 years (if cared properly). To maintain the quality of the dental veneers, the patient may want to reduce the intake of sticky, extra hard, acidic, or sugary food or drinks.

If the patient struggles with teeth clenching or grinding, especially at night, a dental nightguard can be provided to protect dental veneers from wearing out. If a veneer comes off (which is not likely to happen), it can generally be repaired or replaced.

Am I a good candidate for porcelain dental veneers?

Dental veneers are suitable for almost everyone. However, there are some things to consider, such as having healthy teeth with no serious decay issues, not suffering from gum disease, having good tooth enamel, having fully matured teeth, and – preferably – not grinding or clenching your teeth.

Overall, the patient must be committed to proper oral care and hygiene.

How many dental veneers do I need?

The number of dental veneers can be based on the number of teeth that show when you smile, but it’s not a rule.

You might need more or less, depending on what you are looking to fix; during the consultation, the specialist will help you to choose the best option. It is best to have an even number of dental veneers, say two, four (and so on), so a natural look can be achieved.

Do I have to change certain habits if I get dental veneers?

When having dental veneers, it is recommended to reduce or completely stop habits such as nail-biting, opening bags or bottles or cracking nutshells with your teeth, grinding or clenching, eating extremely hard or sticky foods.

Those are some of the most common things that can put dental veneers under stress.