When Is Dental Veneer a Good Option?

When Is Dental Veneer a Good Option?

July 5, 2022

What Is a Dental Veneer?

It is an oral appliance that repairs and restores damaged teeth in cosmetic dentistry. Dental veneers near you prioritize the appearance of teeth. Therefore, when a dentist near you repairs your smile with veneers in Jackson, MI, their concern is to improve your smile’s aesthetic. In this way, dental veneers are not in direct competition with dental crowns.

Dental veneers typically feature porcelain, a tooth-colored sturdy material perfect for restoring teeth. Instead of crowning an entire tooth, dental veneers restore only the front sides of teeth. This reason makes veneer teeth suitable for restoring the front teeth only. Veneers may be a good option for those who are dissatisfied with teeth whitening/bleaching results and want to improve the appearance of their teeth.

How Do Dental Veneers Work?

A dentist at Arbor Falls Dental and Wellness will first examine your oral cavity to determine your suitability for veneer teeth. After that, (s)he will begin preparing your natural teeth. Preparation entails shaving part of the tooth enamel, typically on a tooth’s front side. The idea is to remove as much tooth enamel as necessary to make room for a dental crown. The dentist will also be contouring the tooth to counter the initial dental flaw.

After preparation, the dentist will take impressions of the tooth. The impressions will help create a mold that can develop perfectly fitting veneer teeth. The creation process of dental veneers occurs in a dental laboratory, usually within two weeks. Meanwhile, the dentist will place a temporary dental crown over your tooth before discharging you for home.

The last dental visit entails the installation of the dental veneer. The installation relies on dental cement and lasers. The dental cement will help with adherence, while lasers speed up the curing process to complete dental bonding.

When Would You Need to Get Dental Veneers?

It is not every day that a dentist recommends dental veneers to patients. Usually, the recommendation will come up for patients seeking to modify their smiles. Some of the situations that would necessitate dental veneers are:

  1. Spaces between teeth – small gaps in your teeth do not always require getting braces. A cosmetic dentist can use dental veneers to close the gap and promote symmetry in your smile.
  2. Crooked teeth – rotting and moving teeth is usually a treatment protocol under orthodontic dentistry. However, in cosmetic dentistry, veneers can straighten mildly crooked teeth.
  3. Oddly shaped teeth – can result from wearing down, breaks and cracks, dental trauma, r other issues. Dental veneers are great solutions for contouring teeth to restore their shapes and sizes.
  4. Discolored teeth – whether you have yellowed, darkened, or generally stained teeth, dental veneers can whiten them. You do not need to bleach your enamels. Instead, the porcelain shell will mask the flaws in your teeth.

Are Dental Veneers Good Option for You?

As long as you have any dental problems listed above, you are a great candidate for dental veneers. However, when making the decision, consider the following pros and cons of veneers teeth:

Pros of Dental Veneers:

  1. They are life-like – dental veneers feature porcelain, a semi-translucent tooth-colored material. It looks and feels like your natural teeth.
  2. They are sturdy – porcelain is sturdier than composite, which would be the alternative material for aesthetic modifications in cosmetic dentistry.
  3. They are durable – dental veneers can last between 10 and 20 years. It depends on how you care for your teeth after your treatment.
  4. They are stain-resistant – dental veneers fight stains better than composite. Even though your teeth can still stain with neglected oral hygiene, the chances are slim.
  5. They are less invasive than dental crowns – the dentist does not have to prepare the whole tooth when getting dental veneers as with crowns.

Cons of Dental Veneers:

  1. They are irreversible – once you get dental veneers, there is no going back. The only other change you can make is to upgrade to dental crowns. The reason is that dentists will shave your natural enamels when preparing your teeth for the procedure.
  2. Treatment can be expensive – especially, in light of the procedure being an elective cosmetic dental protocol. You will have to pay for the entire treatment out of pocket.
  3. They are only suitable for the front teeth because they only restore the front side of teeth.
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