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Veneers: A Direct Route to a Flawless Smile
Sometimes the road to a flawless smile is filled with stops along the way: a bit of bonding here and teeth whitening there, perhaps a dental implant or two, and maybe even braces.
But there is one cosmetic dental treatment that offers a direct route to a perfect smile: dental veneers.
Veneers are wafer-thin shells made of tooth-colored materials such as porcelain or composite resin that are bonded to your teeth using a curing light. Unlike other cosmetic dental procedures, veneers dramatically improve the color, shape, size and length of your teeth in one fell swoop.
So if you want whiter teeth, straighter teeth, smaller or bigger teeth, a less gummy smile -- or all of the above -- dental veneers just might be the one-stop solution you’ve been looking for.
Leaving Bleach Behind
Drinking coffee, tea, soda or wine can result in tooth stains that are tough to remove. The same goes for tooth stains caused by cigarette smoking.
The good news is that a laser tooth whitening treatment can make your teeth up to eight shades whiter in as little as an hour. The bad news is tooth whitening treatments are not effective on teeth that have been stained by tetracycline.
That’s where dental veneers can help.
With dental veneers, it doesn’t matter whether your teeth are stained by tea or tetracycline. Since dental veneers are placed over your natural teeth, there is no need to lift or bleach tooth stains in order to have a whiter smile. Stain-resistant veneers also last longer than tooth whitening – sometimes up to 15 years.
What’s more, with dental veneers, you’re in control of your tooth color.
Here’s why:
After your dentist determines that dental veneers are suitable for your smile, the customization process starts. This is the stage during which you and your dentist select the color of your veneers using a shade guide. While you’re at it, you can even choose the size and shape of your veneers!
Your specifications will then be sent to a laboratory where the veneers will be made. In about two weeks, your veneers will be ready to place!
Straightening Up
It wasn’t too long ago that the only dental option for straightening crooked teeth was braces. Today, it’s a different story.
When bonded to your existing teeth, dental veneers function as “instant orthodontics.” Unlike braces, which shift your teeth into a straighter position over time, veneers can give you a straight smile in just two visits!
While you’ll undoubtedly love your revamped smile, the benefits of straighter teeth aren’t purely cosmetic.
Crooked teeth often form gaps and crevices that are difficult to clean; straight teeth don’t, so they’re less likely to develop decay if you practice good oral hygiene. Misaligned teeth can also make biting and chewing painful; with straight teeth you won’t have that problem!
But before you write off dental braces completely, brace yourself: Using veneers to achieve a straighter smile is not appropriate for everyone. Some dentists advise using veneers only on teeth that have minor alignment or bite problems.
No Spacing Out
The best solution for closing gapped teeth depends on many factors, including the size of the gap and the root support of adjacent teeth.
Orthodontic braces or appliances are often used to pull gapped teeth together, but the process can take six months or longer to complete. Bonding is a solution that offers instant results, but is typically not as durable or long-lasting as other treatments.
Veneers may be the only dental treatment for gapped teeth or diastemas that combines durability and effectiveness in one solution.
However, although it’s becoming more common to use veneers to mask gapped teeth, it may not always be the right answer. Some dentists recommend using veneers only if the natural teeth are strong and have small gaps.
The Total Package
You might feel lucky if you just want to change one or two things about your smile. But truth be told, with veneers, everyone’s lucky.
Veneers not only save time, but over time, veneers can save you money.
Multiple dental visits and treatments are no longer necessary with veneers because they are so multi-faceted. Even if your goal is simply to have whiter teeth, with veneers, you can get a brighter smile, a shapely smile and a straighter smile at the same time!
What other dental treatment offers cosmetic, restorative and orthodontic benefits all in one?
Ask your dentist today if veneers are right for you.
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