Dental Veneers.

Dental veneers fall into the category of cosmetic dentistry and are used to create a bright, white smile with beautifully aligned, shapely teeth. Veneers can replace chipped, uneven, or spaced teeth with well-aligned, shapely teeth. Even better, the translucent ceramic quality of today's veneers provides a more natural-looking bright, white smile. Regardless of what causes unattractive teeth, dental veneers may solve most or all of the issues, including:

• Over time, the thin, hard white substance covering your teeth (the enamel) may become worn, dulled and discoloured.

• Aged teeth are more likely to have an uneven appearance, chips, or cracks, and be worn down due to years of wear and tear.

• Certain people may be born with spacing between the teeth that grows wider as they age.

• Uneven teeth can result from tooth grinding or general wear and tear.

• Some people have a genetic predisposition to the wearing of enamel. For others, the cause of enamel wear may be a heavy smoking habit. Similarly, tea, coffee, medications (such as tetracycline), and soft drinks may have an impact on the discoloration of teeth by slowly eating away at the enamel.

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Dental Veneers - Uses and Advantages

Small chips and cracks in the teeth may be repaired with a composite "white filling." This involves bonding a composite resin material to the tooth in order to fill in the chip or crack and better protect the surrounding tooth structure. For more severe cases of dullness, wear, discoloration, mild chipping, cracking, spacing, or uneven teeth, dental veneers may be recommended as a more appropriate solution.

Dental veneers can also protect the surface of a damaged tooth. Veneers may be used for both esthetic and restorative purposes, replacing the need for a dental crown in some cases (which requires more invasive tooth preparation).

Teeth whitening may provide a white smile for teeth with mild discoloration, and lasers may be used to treat specific discoloration spots on a tooth. But if you have a major case of dull or discoloured teeth, you may opt for dental veneers instead. Veneers have the added benefits of longevity and proven ability to enhance the appearance of the mouth, smile, and possibly other areas of an aged face that would be better supported by properly shaped teeth.

Because dental veneers are so thin, they might require little-to-no tooth reshaping when bonded onto the tooth. They are incredibly strong and may last up to 15 years, assuming they are properly maintained through regular brushing and check-ups.

Two Types of Dental Veneer Materials

Dental veneers consist of tiny, custom-designed shells of tooth-like ceramic material that, when applied like puzzle pieces over the surface of a tooth and cover worn tooth enamel, uneven tooth alignment or spacing, and chips or cracks.

The two most common types of materials used in dental veneers are composite resins and porcelain. Both composite and porcelain veneers may be fabricated by a dental technician in a dental laboratory; composite veneers can also be directly fabricated inside your mouth at the dental office. Dental veneers that are indirectly fabricated are bonded to the teeth with various types of resin cement.

Are You a Candidate for Dental Veneers?

The best candidates for dental veneers are people with healthy teeth. If you require restorative work, or periodontal treatment, you must complete the treatment before veneers can be applied. If you grind or clench your teeth, your dentist will advise you to wear a mouth guard in order to protect the veneers over time. However, it is important to note that dental veneers may not be appropriate in some cases.

How the Dental Veneer Procedure Works

The dental veneer procedure can often be completed in two dental visits over the course of a six week period. First, your dentist will likely administer a local anaesthetic so you will be comfortable during the preparation of the tooth and the application of the veneer. Then the tooth is prepared by minimally reshaping it to provide the best fit. Your dentist will work with you to select the best tooth colour from a special shade chart.

Next, your dentist will make an impression of your teeth from which a mould of your mouth will be made. This impression may be sent to a dental lab so the veneers can be professionally fabricated by a dental lab technician who may use CAD/CAM technology to fabricate the veneer. CAD/CAM means "computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing." In this case, temporary veneers are made during the first dental visit. The temporary veneers will give you a preview of the expected outcome. Some dentists, on the other hand, use CAD/CAMs in their offices to produce veneers, which are then bonded and adjusted onto the teeth.

During the second dental visit, your dentist will evaluate the veneers and adjust them to achieve the best fit and colour.

No recovery period is required for the dental veneer procedure, though some people may experience some sensitivity for a few days afterward.

Cost of Dental Veneers

The cost of dental veneers depends on a variety of factors, including the cosmetic dentist who performs the procedure, the artistic skill of the ceramist making the veneers, the location where it is performed, and the type of dental insurance you have (dental insurance typically does not cover cosmetic procedures).

Of course the number of teeth that require veneers as treatment will affect the total cost.