Dental Veneers – All You Need to Know to Make an Informed Decision 

Veneers are effective for improving your smile if you have discolored, malformed, or chipped teeth. Veneers are tooth-colored thin shells, usually made of porcelain or resin, dentists fix to the front of the teeth. The reasons for its worldwide popularity are ease of fixing, resistance to staining, and natural looks. However, you cannot reverse the procedure. It is common for people to get more than one veneer on their front teeth to create a natural and even look.

Different Veneer Types

Porcelain and composite resin are the most common materials used to make veneers. While these require intensive site preparation, you can ask your dentist about “no-prep” veneers applied using a different process. Proper fixing of veneers entails grinding down the tooth and sometimes even removing the enamel for better placement and adhesion. The process may be painful, necessitating the use of local anesthesia. The extent of tooth reduction depends on the dental issues and the number of teeth selected for veneer application.

Porcelain veneers: The dentist will usually grind down your teeth and create a mold by taking an impression of the teeth. A fabricating lab will make the porcelain veneer using the mold. The dentist will place the porcelain veneer on the prepared surface of the tooth and bond it using cement. The dentist may use temporary veneers to prevent the tooth from getting contaminated till he receives the permanent veneer from the lab. Dental clinics may also use advanced CAD/CAM technology to design and fabricate the veneer in the office.

Composite resin veneers: In this method, the dentist will apply a thin layer of the composite resin material after etching the surface of the prepared tooth. You may require multiple layers of the veneer to achieve the look you want. The dentist will cure the veneer to harden it, and bond it better to the tooth.

No-prep veneers: You may choose specific no-prep porcelain veneer brands that will take less time to apply since they are less invasive. In this process, the dentist will only remove the enamel instead of multiple layers of the tooth below the enamel surface. Because the process is quick and painless, you will not need local anesthetics or even temporary veneers.

Choosing the Ideal Veneer 

It can be hard to choose the veneer that’s ideal for you. However, you should factor in things, like the cost, time, pain, appearance, and longevity, in addition to your dentist’s recommendations. Generally speaking, porcelain veneers can be more expensive and require multiple visits to the dentist, but are stronger and last longer than composite resin veneers. Maintenance is also easier since they stain less. However, resin-based veneers are quicker because the dentist needs to remove less of the tooth, the process is pain-free, and you can usually complete the process in a single visit to the dentist. While its life is less than porcelain veneer, resin veneers can last as long as five to seven years with good care. While they can be damaged more easily, they are also easier to repair.

The Cost of Veneers

According to the American Dental Association, you may need to budget between $925 and $2,500 per tooth to get a veneer. The important thing to note is the insurance company will not pay for the procedure since it is cosmetic. In general, you need to spend less for composite resin dental veneers, from $400 to $2,000 per tooth, but since their life is not as long, you will usually find porcelain veneers to be more cost-effective. The cost of the procedure depends on multiple factors, like the type of veneers, the brand the dentist chooses, the level of affluence of your area, and your dentist’s expertise. If you are budget conscious, you may look for a dental clinic with dentistry students under the supervision of a dentist on the faculty of the dental school.

Why Would You Need Veneers on Your Teeth?

The biggest benefit of investing time and money in getting a veneer is to improve the appearance of your teeth and get a brighter and more attractive smile. A dentist may recommend using veneers if you have chipped teeth or teeth with severe discoloration that your dentist cannot fix with whitening procedures. Veneers can also help if you have small teeth, teeth with pointed or unusual shapes, or unsightly gaps between your teeth. Even though veneers can be expensive, they last a long time and are good value for money.

Veneers, Crowns, and Implants – Understanding the Difference

Many people mistake veneers as another name for crowns or dental implants, but there are significant differences. While the crown covers the full tooth, a veneer only covers the front surface. Veneers are thinner at one millimeter, while crowns are two millimeters thick. Veneers are much less invasive because the dentist needs to prepare only the tooth’s front surface, while he will need to do much more to fix a crown. You can get only a crown fitted if your tooth is damaged, however, you will need an implant if the tooth is missing. The dentist will fix a crown on the implant to make it look natural and allow you to bite and chew. The process of a dental implant and the tooth and crown can take many months.

Conclusion 

Depending on the kind of veneer, you could be spending a hefty amount, which is why you need to take care to extend its life. While you can begin eating and drinking normally, immediately after the dentist fixes the veneer and the anesthesia wears off, you may experience some roughness. The rough feel will disappear within a few days of brushing and eating. Veneers can last more than a decade; however, you must not chew hard objects, use your teeth to open packaging, grind your teeth, and wear a mouth guard when playing sports. Practicing good oral hygiene to prevent plaque and bacterial buildup can help increase the longevity of your veneers. You can increase the lifespan of your veneers by abstaining or limiting your alcohol intake, avoiding smoking or chewing tobacco and dark-colored good and beverages that may stain your teeth.