Dental veneers are a great way to enhance and improve your smile. They can be used to either improve aesthetics of a tooth or used to protect a tooth that has been damaged. The veneer is a thin layer of material that is placed over the tooth.

There are two main types of materials that are used to fabricate veneers, dental porcelain and composite resin.

Veneers are bonded to the teeth and have a general life span from 5 to 15 years. One thing to consider when having veneers is that once you have used veneers you will always have to have some type of veneer on your tooth due to the preparation process that is used.

As they are bonded to the teeth there is a preparation process that is required to prepare the tooth for the veneer in which it may destroy 3-30% of the tooth surface. Some dentists caution that minor wear or minimal cosmetic improvement may not justify the use of veneers.

Uses for dental veneers include:

• Covering up chipped teeth
• Cosmetic purposes
• Covering up stained teeth
• Irregular shaped teeth
• Filling in gaps in teeth

Benefits of dental veneers include:

• Less work and preparation than dental crowns
• Less expensive than dental crowns
• Stain resistant

Things to consider before getting veneers:

• If you grind your teeth when sleeping you will require a night guard to protect the veneers.
• Once you have veneers you will have to have them redone every 5-15 years. (Also bear in mind that the tooth will have to have work done to it to prepare for the veneer, so some type of covering will always be needed).
• If your surrounding teeth stain you may be able to notice the veneers due to colour mismatch.
• More maintenance and care is needed when you have veneers. (Care is needed when it comes to hard foods, and good dental hygiene is needed to prolong the life of them).

While there are some precautions and extra maintenance needed to prolong the life of dental veneers they can give you a great smile, something that you may have wanted for a long time.

When choosing a dentist to do your veneers ask for some before and after photos and ask them about their experience with veneers so that you can feel confident in their ability to do the job for you.

To find a dentist in your area that can give you the smile you deserve click here.