Why Dental Veneers Will Benefit Your Smile

veneer care

In a perfect world, your smile would last a lifetime and stay brilliant for all of your days. In reality, mishaps, accidents, and just bad luck do occur, and your teeth may become damaged, discolored, or misspaced. Maybe you were born with a misshapen tooth or some other cosmetic defect. While a bit of character to your smile isn’t a bad thing, there are a number of reasons you may want to repair some of these cosmetic issues.

This is where dental veneers come in. They are a type of dental prosthetic, which may perform a number of functions. So why will dental veneers benefit your smile? Let’s take a look.

To start off, let’s talk about what a dental veneer is and what it does. A dental veneer is just what the name might suggest: a thin veneer of ceramic or porcelain that is attached to the front of your tooth in order to cover existing damage or discoloration and prevent further issues. The process of installing a dental veneer is generally fairly straightforward and accomplished with minimal discomfort to the patient. First, a veneer is crafted to match the desired shape and color. Then the natural tooth is reshaped by removing some of the enamel in order to fit the veneer in place. The dental veneer is then attached, using a powerful dental adhesive that bonds it to the natural tooth it covers. Once in place, the dental veneer requires the same care that a natural tooth does–regular brushing and flossing–and should last a lifetime. Your dental veneer will function just like a natural tooth and allow you to participate in a full range of day-to-day activities.

So what sort of damage can a dental veneer repair? Veneers are good for fixing a number of potential dental issues, including the following:

  • Minor chips, cracks, or other cosmetic damage
  • Minor misalignments or mis-spacings
  • Discoloration or staining, including yellowing of teeth
  • Correcting small malformations or misshapen teeth
  • Matching the size of a tooth to its neighbors

While dental veneers aren’t appropriate for major damage like broken teeth, fractured or cracked teeth, or teeth damaged by serious decay, they can be used for a number of the most common dental issues and cosmetic problems. 

There are very few issues associated with dental veneers when used appropriately. Potential patients should note that dental veneers involve reshaping the natural tooth they cover and are thus permanent installations. Also, as a result of the enamel removed from the natural tooth due to this reshaping, the tooth in question may become more sensitive to heat and cold, particularly hot or cold drinks and foods. 

So now that we know what dental veneers can do for your smile, the question becomes are they right for you? Your dentist can help you make that decision by evaluating and explaining your dental health situation and discussing what your options might be. We’re here to help your smile be everything that it can be and to ensure that you get the most out of it!