Dental veneers are thin, tooth-coloured porcelain or composite shells cemented onto your teeth’ front surface. Veneers look similar to natural teeth because they are custom-made according to your healthy remaining teeth. So, they are mostly used to restore the front teeth that can be seen from the outside when you smile and speak.
When do you need veneers?
- To reshape and resize your teeth
If you are unhappy with your natural teeth, especially the front teeth, you can always ask your dentist for veneers. Dental veneers can change the shape and size of your teeth more aesthetically.
- When you have stained teeth
Natural teeth pick up the stains from what we eat and drink. Years of drinking coffee or wine, smoking cigarettes, or consuming foods high in pigment like berries stain your teeth. Pigments turn your teeth yellow to brown. Sometimes the fractured teeth may turn brown, grey or black following trauma. Dental veneers will help you to remove the discoloured tooth substance and replace it with a tooth-coloured material. The excellent news about porcelain veneers is that they are stain resistant. So, you don’t need to worry about further discolourations.
- To restore chipped or cracked teeth
Your dentist may recommend having veneers to restore the chipped or cracked front teeth with veneers rather than having normal fillings, as veneers will last longer than conventional composite bonding fillings.
- To close small but visible gaps between teeth
Having gapped teeth may affect your smile. Providing veneers to the adjacent teeth to make them slightly bigger is one of the best alternatives to close small gaps between teeth.
- To mask slight misalignment of teeth
Malalignments of teeth can affect your appearance. Even though you need to get orthodontic treatments to correct the malalignments ideally, small misalignments can be corrected with veneers.
- To treat tooth wear
As we age, the enamel, the outermost layer of the tooth, wears off. Unfortunately, the enamel is incapable of regrowing too. If left untreated, tooth wear can progress and give rise to complications like sensitivity and pain. Dental veneers can restore worn-off teeth successfully if identified early.
Pros of dental veneers
- Veneers improve your smile esthetics.
- They are durable for five to ten years with proper oral hygiene maintenance.
- Dental veneers can reduce or completely cure tooth sensitivity.
Cons of dental veneers
- Except in no-prep circumstances, your dentist has to file down some of your natural tooth substance to install veneers properly.
- Dental veneers may need to be replaced after some years, as they are thin shells and last about ten years on average.
- You might feel tooth sensitivity after receiving veneers, but this naturally fades away within two to three days.
In summary, dental veneers are one of the best cosmetic dentistry solutions to improve dental esthetics and self-confidence.
