What are Dental Veneers?
By Thomas Graydon
This is a question becoming more and more common as ceramic veneers are becoming much more prevalent; celebrities, sport stars, even the US President can be seen touting a set of veneers. Despite their prevalence, they aren't suited for everyone, and careful planning and consideration is required before going down the veneer path. Read on to find out more.
Veneers are thin shells of ceramic which are custom made to your teeth and bonded in to place. Usually, a very thin sliver of tooth is removed from the front surface, which is then replaced by the veneer. Veneers are used to improve the colour of teeth, change the shape or position of your teeth and to mask over any discoloration, irregularity or imperfection in one's teeth.
Picture: Donald Trump
Coupled with their long lifespan, they also retain their shine and are stain-resistant, so veneers done today should still look excellent into the future.
There are a number of ways dentists can change the colour and position of teeth, however veneers are one of the more preferred ways because of their predictability. Other options, such as composite bonding and tooth whitening can achieve similar results but can be less predictable.
Other than their predictability, ceramic veneers are advantageous because of their lifespan. Modern ceramics are very strong and stick well to tooth - because of this, they last a long time and are unlikely to break or fall off. Coupled with their long lifespan, they also retain their shine and are stain-resistant, so veneers done today should still look excellent into the future.
Picture: Roberto Firmino veneers
The biggest benefit of veneers is that they look natural. To the untrained eye it can be difficult to distinguish veneers from a person's natural smile. Other cosmetic procedures can achieve excellent results but these can sometimes look artificial.
After telling people about all these positives to veneers, naturally the next question is about the disadvantages or risks associated with the treatment. The process of placing veneers requires a small amount of tooth to be removed, which generally does not cause any issue. Occasionally, it can cause some sensitivity to the treated teeth, however this generally resolves before too long.
People ask me if placing veneers weakens the teeth due to having to cut some tooth away. Due to the very minimal nature of veneers, the affect on the strength of the tooth is minimal, and ceramic veneers when glued to the tooth can protect the underlying tooth and prevent it from being further damaged. Veneers do not restore the teeth back to their original state however, so if a person has a lot of dental decay or grinds their teeth excessively, veneers may not be the right option.
Give us a call on 9964 5005 if you'd like an appointment to see if you'd be suitable for a set of veneers!