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Brushing and flossing will maintain your smile, but whether through discoloration or damage, your teeth will change over time. If you no longer have the smile you want, it can affect your overall self-image. For some patients, dentists can use cosmetic veneers to restore your smile. If you’re a candidate for the simple procedure, thin shells are permanently and seamlessly placed over your natural teeth, making them look healthy again and returning your confidence.  

What Are Veneers?

Accidents and attrition can wear down and chip teeth. Years of smoking, eating, and drinking will discolor them. 

Veneers are tooth-colored shells made of porcelain or resin composite materials that are permanently bonded to your teeth, restoring its white color.

Though thin, they’re highly protective, taking on the daily wear and tear rather than your natural teeth. They’re also often used to cover up old fillings and the effects of tooth decay.

What’s the Process?

1. Examination

VeneersDuring an appointment with your dentist, you’ll discuss your candidacy for veneer shells. They’ll explain how the procedure is done and perform an examination to confirm the procedure is right for you. To do so, they might take X-rays of your teeth. Your dentist might also take an impression of your mouth and teeth to develop shells that fit.

2. Preparation

While the procedure’s minimally invasive, your dentist will prepare your teeth ahead of the procedure. To bond to the surface of the tooth, they’ll reshape it to the approximate thickness of the shell itself.

Porcelain shells are particularly thin, allowing your dentist to remove very little of your teeth without sacrificing the protective capabilities of the shell. 

During the procedure, your dentist will remove a small amount of the enamel of your stained or misaligned teeth. By removing the enamel, the shell will be able to lay flat on the tooth and in-line with your gums. You can ask to have your mouth numbed for this procedure.

Your enamel is similar to the veneer—it’s a thin but tough protective layer that covers the crown of your tooth. Despite being lean, the enamel is the hardest tissue in the body.

However, it’s also translucent, visually exposing the vulnerable dentin of the tooth, which is responsible for its coloring. Over time, the enamel becomes stained by cigarettes, coffee, juices, or sodas.

The impression of your teeth is sent to a dental laboratory where the shells are constructed. While waiting for the laboratory, your dentist can fit you with a temporary shell made of glue. While using the temporary shell, brush your teeth gently and only eat soft foods.

3. Procedure

Before the bonding, your dentist will inspect the shells and place them on your teeth to ensure the color matches and the fit is comfortable. If necessary, your dentist will change the color or form of the shells by using a specific shade of dental cement or by trimming them.

Your dentist will clean your teeth, polish them, and do some fine etching on them. The etching will roughen your teeth, which will strengthen the bonding.  

Next, dental cement is placed on your teeth and the shell. Once applied and comfortably in place, a light beam is shown in the area of your teeth. The beam hardens the cement, allowing for the shells to adhere to your teeth quickly.

When the bonding’s complete, any excess cement is removed. Your dentist will examine your bite pattern and make changes to the shell’s placement if necessary.

After the bonding procedure, you’ll likely return to your dentist for a follow-up appointment. They’ll ensure the shells are sticking and that your gums are in good health.  

What Are Some Maintenance Tips?

VeneersWhen cared for, the shells will last between 10 and 15 years. Since the they act as the enamel of your teeth, you should continue your normal oral hygiene routine.

Brush your teeth twice a day, floss once, and use an antiseptic mouthwash.

While they aren’t your natural teeth, you can still experience tooth decay. You would need to treat the condition and have the shells replaced. If the tooth decay goes untreated for too long, the affected tooth may need to be extracted or covered by a crown.

Chewing on hard objects like pencils, ice cubes, or fingernails will chip or crack teeth. This is the case with the shells, as well. Never use them to open packages or beer bottles.

Since most people have shells bonded to their front teeth, don’t use them to chew—especially harder objects like candy bars. Cut them up and use your back teeth.

While stain-resistant, limit your use of coffee, red wine, cigarettes, and other foods and beverages that will cause tooth discoloration.  

When engaging in physical activities, wear a mouthguard. If you tend to grind your teeth during the day or night, wear a retainer.   

What Are the Advantages of Veneers?

While known as a solution for stained teeth, dentists have several other cosmetic and protective uses for the shells.

When teeth are worn down, they can be bonded over the area to protect the dentin.

They’re used to correct the look of slightly crooked teeth or uneven ones. For teeth featuring bulges or craters, the shells offer a smooth, balanced surface.

VeneersThe shells are also used to change the formation of your teeth. For those with slightly misshapen teeth, the shells straighten and restore a tooth’s natural shape. While some patients only get a single shell to repair the damage, most people get several to create a uniform, balanced smile.

They’re also used as a common treatment for dental fluorosis. It’s a common condition for children who were overexposed to fluoride in the first eight years of their life. It creates uneven surfaces and discolorations ranging between white streaks that are hardly noticeable to obvious yellow and dark brown stains. If bleaching has no effect on the fluorosis, the shells will cover the discolorations.

While teeth whitening and bleaching services are temporary, the high stain-resistance of the shells will provide you with white teeth. 

What Makes Someone a Good Candidate For Veneers?

Those with severely stained or minutely damaged teeth are among the most likely candidates for the procedure. While the shells provide the appearance of straight teeth, those with substantial misalignments or malocclusion aren’t candidates.

A small amount of your enamel needs to be removed for the application procedure, but enough must remain to forge a strong bonding surface. Without enough enamel, the shells won’t stick. While enamel is often worn down over time, there are types of fluoride toothpaste and mouthwashes available that will help restore it. To continue restoring your enamel, increase your calcium intake but cut the dairy and sugar from your diet. 

If you’ve had dental work in the past—including serious conditions like fractured teeth—there may be signs of damage left behind, including hairline cracks. Even with previously fractured teeth, the shells can cover the damage while also providing a pleasing smile.

Conditions like bruxism chip and fracture teeth. The condition isn’t always a disqualifying factor, provided the damage isn’t severe and a retainer is used after the shells are bonded.

The best candidates have a history of good oral hygiene—including routine cleanings with their dentists and consistently brush and floss their teeth. 

However, if your teeth and gums aren’t healthy, there are procedures available to help them. Once they’re healthy, you’ll be a candidate for veneers.

 

 

Attrition and stains may alter your teeth, but that doesn’t mean your smile can’t be restored. All Bright Dental provides comprehensive oral care from an experienced dentist. This includes routine cleanings and teeth whitening services to root canals and extractions. For more information on their many offerings, including teeth bleaching and veneers, visit their website. If you’re in Mamaroneck, NY, and would like to make an appointment, reach out to them at (914) 594-9092.

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