Maybe you’ve heard about dental veneers. You may know that veneers can give you a dazzling smile worthy of any newscaster or Hollywood celebrity. It’s certainly true that veneers can give you a perfectly white smile.
But there are more things veneers can do for your smile, too. They can actually work to fix many dental problems, some of which you might have thought would require more extensive repairs. Dr. Thomas D. Sokoly of Sokoly Dental explains more about the problems veneers can resolve.
Dental veneers are very thin shells, usually made of porcelain or composite resin. Part of your natural tooth has to be filed away to make room for the veneers, which are cemented to your teeth. You should assume that once you get this done, you’re committed. They should be considered permanent, but veneers usually last for about 7-15 years,
Dental veneers can resolve many problems with the appearance of your teeth. Among them include the following:
Veneers can whiten your teeth to any color that you want. Although traditional teeth whitening can typically lighten your teeth by 3-8 shades, you can’t choose the exact shade that you want. Also, professional teeth whitening doesn’t whiten your teeth if they’re discolored from taking certain drugs, such as tetracycline, or if the dentin under your enamel begins to show, which is naturally darker.
Not so with veneers. You can choose to lighten your teeth to any shade that you desire, even if you’ve taken certain drugs or if your dentin becomes more exposed. However, veneers are applied to individual teeth, and if you choose to only apply them to certain teeth, you may wish to get your other teeth whitened so that the veneers match your total smile.
Many of us have dents or chips in our teeth. It’s easy for this to happen in the normal course of life. While you can choose bonding to even out your teeth, this is not an ideal alternative because bonding is easier to chip again.
Veneers are generally pretty strong and are resistant to stains, which makes them a good option for repairing dents and chips. You can have smooth, even teeth with veneers.
If your teeth are crooked, you may think that your only option is braces or Invisalign®. But veneers can fix crooked teeth as well. They can repair crooked teeth in a fraction of the amount of time that it takes to wear braces.
If you have gaps between your teeth, you may feel self-conscious about not having a streamlined smile. Though braces can usually close the gaps over time, veneers can achieve the same result in much less time.
If your teeth are seriously decayed, they may not be easily fixed. Sometimes, we can use crowns to fix serious tooth decay. But if you have multiple decayed teeth, veneers can work better.
We first remove any decay when possible, including performing root canals when necessary. However, when it comes time to cover the decay, veneers are a good option for many people. In addition, veneers protect your teeth from further issues.
If you have unevenly sized or misshapen teeth, you may desire a different look. Fortunately, veneers can correct these problems. If you have an unusually small tooth in comparison to your other teeth, veneers can make your teeth appear to all be a uniform size and shape.
If you have pointy teeth, or “vampire teeth,” veneers can reshape their look, giving you a uniform, beautiful smile.
Veneers can do many great things to correct your smile. Almost any minor imperfections can be fixed. To learn more, contact Sokoly Dental for an appointment or book online today.
