Dental veneers are a popular and common dental treatment, either for cosmetic purposes or when put in place to repair damage to the tooth. Due to their popularity, we get a lot of questions from patients and potential patients about dental veneers—what are they? How do they work? What happens after I have a veneer put in place? These are all good and important questions, and while your individual situation is unique and your dentist will discuss which options are best for you we thought we’d answer a few of the most commonly asked questions here.
What are dental veneers? How do they work?
Let’s start with the basics—what are dental veneers, exactly? A dental veneer is a thin, custom-made shell designed to cover the front surface of a tooth. Applied with a bonding agent or resin, they’re intended to improve the appearance of a tooth, repair or cover light damage, or change the size, shape, or color of a tooth. Made from a variety of materials, veneers are a common and safe procedure.
What does getting porcelain veneers involve?
The process of getting dental veneers usually requires a few trips to the dentist. The initial visit is most often a consultation, during which the dentist will discuss the results you want from your veneer, examine your teeth to make sure a dental veneer is the right option for you, and maybe take some x-rays or take impressions of your mouth or teeth. All of this will help your dentist craft the right veneer or veneers for you. On subsequent visits, your dentist will begin the process of installing your veneer. They may need to reshape your tooth surface in order to accommodate the veneer. Then they’ll create the veneer itself out of the appropriate material and install it by bonding it to your tooth with an adhesive agent. Generally, the whole process involves little or no discomfort to the patient.
How do teeth look after dental veneers?
It’s difficult to provide a general answer to this question, as dental veneers fulfill a variety of roles. Some are there to repair or cover damage done to the tooth, like chipping or discoloration. In that case, your dentist will likely try to make them look as much like your natural teeth as possible. Sometimes folks get multiple veneers in order to brighten up their smile or otherwise improve their appearance. In those cases, your veneers will be personalized to you based on your desires and your dentist’s recommendations. Your situation is unique, and your dentist can best tell you what to expect from your new veneers.
How should I take care of my dental veneers?
Your dentist will tell you how best to care for your particular veneers, but in general caring for dental veneers involves regular brushing and flossing as well as perhaps wearing a mouth guard at night to protect against accidental damage. It may also be best to avoid hard foods like peanuts or some hard candy.
What are the pros and cons of dental veneers?
As with so many things in life, there are both pros and cons to dental veneers. The pros are they are an easy way to improve your smile and fix cosmetic damage to your teeth. They replace damaged enamel and are a lasting treatment and very difficult to stain. The cons of veneers may include high cost depending on the veneers desired and your insurance. Additionally, some people report increased tooth sensitivity to heat and cold after getting veneers. The fact that veneers require reshaping the tooth and are thus an irreversible procedure may be a downside to some patients as well.
We hope this helps answer at least some of your questions about dental veneers. If you’re interested in veneers or any other dental treatment, please get in touch with BlueWave Dentistry today and we’ll schedule an appointment as soon as possible.