Dental Veneer Questions For First Time Patients
There are a variety of cosmetic dental procedures that can be used to fix your teeth. Braces can fix crowding, whitening can fix discoloration, and implants can fix teeth that are missing. What procedure do you use when your teeth are healthy, but misshaped and have physical damage to them? That is where dental veneers can work. Here are some questions that many first time patients have before they get veneers.
What Problems Can Veneers Correct?
A dental veneer is a shell that is attached to the outer surface of the teeth. It will look like the natural texture of your teeth, making them look flawless to others. Veneers can correct issues that range from odd tooth width, height, shape, size, and color.
The dental veneer procedure is only supposed to be for cosmetic purposes and not correct an oral health problem with the teeth. This allows the veneer shell to focus on the aesthetics of the teeth. The veneer shell can help cover the gap between two teeth, make them all appear to be the same height and width, and make a tooth with a worn down edge look even again.
What Are Dental Veneers Made With?
The dental veneer shell will be constructed of porcelain or composite resin. Each material has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Many patients choose porcelain because the material looks very natural while being stain resistant and durable. It makes porcelain perfect for a dental veneer shell. Using composite resin will result in a look that is not quite as natural or durable, but the material is much more affordable. When budget is a concern, many patients go with composite resin.
However, when the time comes to get the composite resin material replaced, patients are free to switch to the porcelain material to upgrade their veneers.
Why Not Use Another Procedure?
Veneers will always be the best choice when the teeth you are correcting are healthy. For example, pulling a tooth and replacing it with an implant opens you up to all the complications that come with that procedure. Whitening will only correct stain damage, but not fill in gaps or correct uneven edges of the teeth. A crown covers an entire tooth in a similar way as veneers but will be more expensive.
If you are not sure if dental veneers are best for you, meet with your dentist for a dental services consultation. They can let you know if you are a good candidate.