Helping You Smile Brighter: Essential Guide to Veneers.
Let’s face it, we all want that stand out smile - two rows of perfect pearly whites like from the movies or one of those cheesy toothpaste ads. We all would like the grin that will light up our face, and the room, but, despite what Hollywood would have us believe, we are not all blessed with a dazzling smile.
But all of this is of course a myth that can have drastic and serious effects on some peoples confidence and self-image. Maybe you routinely purse your lips together like a clamp when posing for pictures, trying to hide your teeth, or find yourself cringing at the sight of that snap your friend took of your toothy grin while off your guard. Everyone should be able to laugh and smile as they please, so it’s assuring to know that cosmetic dentistry may have some possible solutions.
This comprehensive guide will give you all the vital information you need when making important considerations about whether cosmetic dental surgery is right for you, helping you decipher the medical jargon and explaining the process in manageable portions.
Veneers are basically thin shells that can be moulded over the enamel (or outer surface) of your teeth. One way to think of them is like a protective false fingernail for you teeth… or, for us blokes, a ‘rock-hard shield that will protect your teeth from the elements!’
Most people choose to have dental veneers fitted for cosmetic reasons as they can help improve the appearance of their teeth, especially:
Chipped teeth - Veneers are one way of covering over little chips that can occur.
Unevenly spaced teeth - This is usually due to a genetic trait which makes teeth grow in an uneven fashion and can become more pronounced the older you get.
Discolouration - Despite what you may believe, discolouration can be in part attributed to a genetic trait which pre-disposes teeth to discolouration of the enamel so there is no need to be embarrassed if suffering from discolouration of the teeth. However, it can also occur to anyone who does not look after their teeth properly and, annoyingly, some main assailants of this discolouration are some of the good things in life like tea, coffee and red wine. Also note that smoking can be a major cause of discolouration.
Veneers can have other long term advantages other than cosmetic benefits: for example, they provide a high level of resistance to discolouration compared to your existing teeth. They also protect the tooth, meaning that they may help prevent you from having other hard-going dental procedures like dental crowns in the future.
It is important to note that if you have chipped, misaligned or discoloured teeth that you are not satisfied with, there are other options to consider before making the big decision of have veneers fitted, so make sure you consult your cosmetic dentist about these alternatives:
Whitening / scraping - If your teeth are mildly discoloured it may be unnecessary to have veneers fitted as your dentist may be able to remove some discolouration by scraping the discolouration off the surface of the tooth.
Bonding / white filling - If you have a chip in a tooth, it is also worth considering other options such as white-filling or ‘bonding’. This involves having a piece of tooth-coloured composite resin bonded to your tooth in lieu of the piece tooth that you have chipped.
Most importantly, veneers are one of the last of many options available to you so make sure you have explored some of the host of other non-invasive solutions at your disposal, which are often a more inexpensive alternative to dental veneers.
In case you were worried, the technology in cosmetic dentistry has improved so much that there are now many different varieties of veneers available to you that can give your teeth a desirable but natural appearance, so there’s less chance of blinding your friends with illuminous gnashers. Each type of dental veneer have their with their own pros and cons, so it’s important you find the right style for you.
Porcelain - These are what you may think of when you think of veneers, but nowadays there are many different brands and variations on the porcelain veneer, each with different levels of strength and thickness. Lumeneers, for example, are a type of thin porcelain veneer, which is currently very popular. Another leading brand is the Da Vinci veneer, named after the Californian laboratory in which they were developed. Da Vinci’s literally promise that elusive Hollywood smile you may be after, but as a leading brand, they are likely to be costly.
Porcelain veneers generally last 5 - 10 years, at which point you may need to pay for a new set to be fitted.
Composites - This is the other main material used as an alternative to the traditional porcelain veneers. These are generally cheaper to have fitted but do not have the level of durability of the porcelains so will need replacing more often. This is an important consideration as they may be cheaper initially but may end up costing you more further down the line.
Composites have also been said to be particularly effective for teeth that are chipped.
Like in many other aspects of dentistry, there’s no easy answer when it comes to price estimations. It is extremely difficult to make an approximation as factors like the type of veneer your after and the speciality of the dental practice will drastically effect the price you will pay. This could range from a few hundred pounds to a few thousand, so it is advisable to consult your cosmetic dentist to find out which fitting you are able to afford.
One thing to remember is that price quotes are more often than not based per tooth.
Scary, huh? However, it need not be so as it is worth knowing that veneer fitting does not generally involve lengthy periods in the ‘dreaded chair’, and is sometimes over in a matter of minutes. In fact, some veneers can even be put in immediately without having to be molded especially, which also makes them removable without damaging your teeth underneath.
For a normal porcelain fitting, however, you will first have a consultation with your cosmetic dentist, who will examine your teeth and judge whether you are eligible for fitting or whether other alternatives may be more appropriate.
Then, if she/he is happy your teeth will be able to take the veneers, she/he will apply a local anaesthetic to your mouth (that’s the one where your mount goes numb and when you try to drink something, you spill it down yourself!) and grind your teeth down a little to make room for your shiny new veneers. She/He will then take a mold of your teeth, by asking you to bite down hard on a type of putty material to leave an impression of the inside of your mouth. If you had orthodontic treatment as a teenager, you may already be familiar with this process.
This mould of your teeth with be taken away where your veneers will be custom made to fit perfectly over your teeth. In the mean time, your dentist may offer you some temporary ones to get used to the idea. Then, a few week later they will be ready to fit. Your dentist will place them over your teeth and trim them so they fit perfectly, then stick them in place with a special bonding agent called ‘dentist cement’.
Although they can provide a higher level protection against erosion than the teeth by themselves, it is important that you maintain your teeth as you normally would. Your dentist may ask you to refrain from eating some food like carrot or apples. You may also be required to a wear protective guard at night.
All of this sound to much? Well the best advice for those fortunate enough not to consider veneers at this stage is to maintain a constant and vigilant level of dental hygiene to prevent the effect of tooth erosion. That way you can smile a toothy grin as much as you like!