Veneers
Welcome to Franklin Road Dental Practice
Veneers
What is cosmetic dentistry?
Dentistry is no longer just a case of filling and taking out teeth. Nowadays many people turn to cosmetic dentistry, or ‘aesthetic dentistry’, as a way of improving their appearance. They do this in the same way they might use cosmetic surgery or even a new hairstyle. The treatments can be used to straighten, lighten, reshape and repair teeth. Cosmetic treatments include veneers, crowns, bridges, tooth-coloured fillings, implants and tooth whitening.
What is a veneer?
Veneers are thin slices of porcelain. These are precisely made to fit over the visible surface of your front teeth, like a false fingernail fits over a nail.
Why might I have a veneer?
Veneers are an ideal way of treating discoloured or unsightly teeth, closing gaps between front teeth, or repairing chips and cracks
Pro’s of having a Veneer?
Porcelain veneers can help improve the appearance of teeth that are malformed, cracked, discoloured or have other types of imperfections. In most cases, porcelain veneers dramatically transform a patient’s smile, have positive impact on oral health and give the feeling of confidence.
● Improved Teeth Appearance
Porcelain veneers help beautify your smile. Made of semi-translucent ceramic, porcelain veneers look realistic and cannot be noticed. Porcelain mimics the natural teeth enamel which is impossible to achieve with other materials.
● Possibility to Choose Colour
The versatility of colour palette is another advantage of getting porcelain veneers applied. Porcelain veneers are individually designed for each patient. You can choose a colour that best fits your natural teeth colour. Porcelain veneers can be selected to make dark teeth look whiter with no worry that teeth will change colour in the future.
● Resistance to Stains
Unlike your natural teeth, veneers are very resistant to different types of stains. Their porcelain surface is very smooth. With porcelain veneers, you don’t have to worry about your teeth colour when you drink coffee, wine or other drinks and food containing natural or artificial colorant agents.
● Durability
With proper care and healthy lifestyle, porcelain veneers can last up to 20 years. It is much longer if compared to composite veneers that usually last about 7 years.
● Easy to Shape
Unlike crowns, porcelain veneers don’t require long shaping before the procedure.
● Immediate Result
Being a good alternative to brackets and other treatment, porcelain veneers don’t require months or years to provide visible results. The procedure of applying porcelain veneers is usually done in two visits.
● Multitasking
Porcelain veneers may help correct several cosmetic defects at once, so, you can spend less time in the dentist chair. Porcelain veneers can be used to cover numerous dental problems: stained or discoloured teeth, gaps between teeth, broken, misshapen, crooked, worn down teeth, teeth that are out of proportion, etc.
● Easy Maintenance
The maintenance of dental veneers doesn’t involve much care. However, there are some simple rules that could help prolong the life of your veneers. Porcelain veneers should be brushed and flossed the same way you treat your natural teeth. After some time, you even won’t notice that you have veneers in your mouth. You should also visit your dentist for regular checkups and professional cleaning. For those people who suffer from grinding the teeth, there are special night guard that help prevent porcelain veneers from damage. It is also recommended to wear mouth guards when playing sports as the teeth could break off like any natural teeth.
Cons of Getting Porcelain Veneers?
Despite the fact that veneers look realistic, they are still artificial and can’t be panacea for all patients.
● Not Everyone Is Eligible for Getting Porcelain Veneers
There are some contra indications that exclude the possibility of applying porcelain veneers. Indeed, not everyone can be a candidate for this type of treatment. If you have decayed or weaken teeth, suffer from aggravated periodontal disease or bruxism (teeth grinding) or have bad teeth enamel, applying porcelain veneers will be problematic.
● Fragility
As it has been stated in Pro’s, when properly cared, porcelain veneers can be very durable. However, it is possible to break them if you grind teeth, eat hard food and apply excessive force on your teeth. Replacing porcelain veneers can be a time- and money-consuming task.
● Increased Teeth Sensitivity
Since the procedure of getting porcelain veneers involves removal of enamel, you teeth sensitivity to hot and cold could increase.
● Irreversible
When you have the porcelain veneers placed on your teeth, there is no way back. Once placed in your mouth, porcelain veneers can’t be re-shaped. That is why, porcelain veneers should be carefully used as the broken veneers are very difficult to restore and usually have to be entirely replaced in case of damage.
