If you want the ultimate cosmetic oral procedure to restore your teeth' shape, size, height, and color, you should consider veneers, otherwise called smile makeovers. Veneers are ultra-thin, tailor-made shells that cover the front surface of your tooth enamel to enhance its appeal and remove flaws like spaces in the teeth, tooth chipping, and discoloration. However, these smile makeovers come in different types, each with advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, when considering the dental procedure, you must weigh the benefits and demerits of each veneer type for an informed decision.

Veneer Purposes

Smile makeovers or veneers are common cosmetic procedures because they offer many benefits over alternatives, such as dental crowns. The cosmetic oral concerns that veneers help fix include:

Teeth Discoloration and Stains

Teeth whitening can help address the problem of temporary stains or discoloration. However, when the discoloration is due to medications like tetracycline, the graying or browning of the surface is permanent. In this situation, you can cover the blemishes caused by the permanent stains with veneers.

Spaces Between Teeth

Large spaces between teeth can deny you happiness, comfort, and confidence. Nevertheless, you can increase the length or size of your teeth using veneers to eliminate or close the gaps impairing or denting your smile.

Tooth Sensitivity

Overconsumption of acidic foods or beverages can lead to tooth sensitivity when consuming hot or cold substances. If the tooth enamel is extremely worn out, you will experience pain in the teeth when you consume cold foods or drinks. Cementing a thin porcelain, composite, palatal, or Lumineers shell over the sensitive teeth provides a protective layer, eliminating pain and sensitivity.

Worn Tooth Enamel

Habits like chronic smoking and drinking coffee, soft drinks, and tea can wear off the enamel, exposing the dentin, which gives teeth a yellowish color. The wearing off of the surface can also be due to genetic predisposition. Veneers cover the worn enamel, restoring the natural color of your teeth and a flawless smile.

Veneers improve tooth brushing and flossing. Therefore, they enhance the appearance of your smile and help you maintain proper dental hygiene, which is critical in maintaining healthy gums and teeth.

Candidacy for Veneers

Before scheduling an appointment for veneer placement, you should arrange a preliminary meeting with your cosmetic dentist for a thorough evaluation to determine your candidacy or qualification for the treatment.

Tooth preparation before the placement of veneers entails permanent or irreversible removal of the tooth enamel to reshape the teeth. Therefore, your dentist must discuss other alternatives if you do not want to lose a significant portion of your enamel permanently.

The dentist will then evaluate the health of your teeth and gums to decide if veneers are the best option. If you have cavities or periodontal disease, you should pursue restorative treatment rather than veneers. When your dentist determines that veneers suit you, the next step will be to discuss the various types of veneers, the steps involved, and the advantages of each treatment to enable you to pick the most appropriate option.

Porcelain Veneers

The most prevalent material used for veneers is porcelain because it mimics the color of your natural teeth. Porcelain veneers are usually reedy shells made of ceramic materials attached to the front surface to fix dental problems and restore the natural appeal of your teeth.

One critical advantage of porcelain veneers is that they can be customized to your specifications, are versatile, and last for ten to fifteen years. Besides, they are more resistant to staining than composite veneers. Again, these veneers are less invasive than dental crowns. The material used in porcelain veneers is biocompatible, which will adversely affect the gums and other soft tissues once they are attached to the mouth.

  1. Stages Involved in Porcelain Veneers Treatment

The first step when placing porcelain veneers is to prepare the teeth minimally. The process of attaching veneers is known to be less invasive, meaning that your dentist must delicately extract a small portion of the front surface enamel to prepare the anterior teeth to receive the veneer. The preparations ensure the teeth are ready for the veneers and fit perfectly. However, because you will experience some discomfort during recontouring, your dentist will use local anesthesia to keep you comfortable.

Next, the dentist will carefully take an impression of the reshaped teeth as a blueprint to fabricate the permanent veneers. The molds capture the color and structure of your teeth and can be taken to an outside lab for fabrication. Nevertheless, if your clinic has advanced technology to make the veneers in-house, sending them to an outside lab will be unnecessary, saving you time. When looking for a dentist, pick the latest technology to fabricate the porcelain veneers to reduce the waiting time.

However, when the technology is unavailable, and the impressions are sent to an outside dental lab with the relevant technology, you will wait for weeks before the permanent veneers are available. Therefore, after reshaping the teeth, the dentist will place temporary veneers. The temporary restorations strengthen the teeth to prevent fractures or breakage while you wait for the permanent ones. Also, they reduce tooth sensitivity caused by the lost tooth surface.

You should know that even if your clinic has the right technology, you could wait two or three weeks before the final veneers, as the fabrication cannot bypass the gestation period.

  1. The Second Appointment

Once the final porcelain veneers are ready, you will go for the second appointment, during which the dentist will fit the custom porcelain veneers to see if they are a perfect fit for your teeth. If they fit perfectly and match the color of your teeth, the dentist will use bonding cement to attach the porcelain veneers to the prepped teeth. The cement is hardened with a blue light to ensure it permanently attaches to the teeth. The excess cement is then removed, and the dentist confirms your bite is okay before allowing you to go home.

You will require another visit to the dentist after a few weeks for bite adjustments.

Composite Veneers

Otherwise called bonded veneers, composite veneers are made of a combination of organic and inorganic material, or composite resin. Even though not as strong as those made of porcelain material, these veneers are tooth-colored and easy to repair after chipping, unlike porcelain veneers, where you must replace the entire veneer after chipping.  However, they are more susceptible to staining and chip easily over time, making them less durable. They are also cheaper than porcelain but more expensive in the long run because of their low durability.

Composite or bonded veneers require a single visit to the dentist because the teeth are prepared and bonded on the same day. No dental lab fabrication is required because the dentist cements the direct composite on the prepped teeth with these veneers. Your dentist then utilizes highly ultraviolet light to harden the composite layer. If the first composite layer bonded to the reshaped tooth does not give it the desired shape and size, the dentist adds another layer until they obtain the desired shape. Once the desired shape is attained, the dentist will utilize the bur to polish the composite layer for a natural and flawless smile.

You should know that many people who want to preserve their tooth structure opt for composite veneers instead of porcelain because, with composite, the material can be cemented without having to reshape the teeth.

Palatal Veneers

Dentists rely on onlays to restore posterior teeth. However, because onlays cannot be used for anterior teeth, dentists rely on palatal onlays or veneers to enhance the facial structure of teeth visible through the mouth when you smile. These veneers are made of gold, are used specifically to treat teeth worn out because of acid reflux or chronic vomiting, and are applied on the inner side of the upper anterior teeth.

Lumineers

When looking for veneers that illuminate the shape and color of your natural teeth more than porcelain veneers, you should opt for Lumineers. They are thin, ultra-thin, and translucent. Their thickness of 0.2 mm makes it unnecessary to cut part of your tooth enamel to enable them to fit, making them suitable for those looking for a less invasive procedure. Also, they are the strongest veneers and most durable, lasting up to twenty years with proper care.

The fact that no recontouring is required means the procedure is reversible, unlike porcelain veneer treatment, which is irreversible.

However, despite these benefits, they are susceptible to chipping without proper care. Also, if your dentin is exposed, the translucent nature of these veneers means the dark or yellow teeth underneath will be visible, denying you the perfect smile you desire.

Removable Veneers

Temporary or non-permanent veneers are usually attached after tooth reshaping and before the permanent veneers are ready. They are made of plastic or resin; some can even be attached at home without reshaping teeth. However, the downside of removable veneers is that they allow for plaque accumulation, increasing the risk of oral problems. Also, they do not resemble natural teeth like permanent veneers, making dentists prefer permanent ones over non-permanent ones.

Cost of Veneers

The price of dental veneers depends on the type and number of teeth being treated. Those made of porcelain material cost between $500 and $2,500 per tooth, while composites cost $250 to $1,500. Lumineers per tooth range from $700 to $2,000, while palatal veneers cost $650 to $1,200. When you opt for removable veneers, you must be ready to pay at least $300 for the treatment.

Price should not be the only factor influencing your choice of veneer. Other factors that affect cost include:

  • The number of teeth requiring veneers
  • The location of the dental clinic
  • The type of material used
  • The artistic skills of the ceramist or dental lab technician fabricating the veneers and the dentist attaching them
  • Complementary services

Have your dentist explain each type, its benefits, and its disadvantages to help you choose the most suitable treatment.

Also, you should know that insurance companies consider veneers a cosmetic procedure, meaning that they will not cover the cost of the treatment. So, you must prepare to cover the cost out-of-pocket. If you cannot afford the treatment, ask about the available payment plans and financing options to help you afford the procedure.

Veneer Risks and Side Effects

Veneers are the right option for a safe, effective, and quick fix for your flawed smile. However, like other oral procedures, veneers have risks, like chipping or fracturing, due to poor oral habits. However, you can minimize these risks by understanding all the post-procedure instructions your dentist gives you before leaving the office.

After the procedure, you could experience the following side effects:

  • Tooth Sensitivity
  • Tooth damage during recontouring

Benefits of Veneers Over Dental Crowns

Veneers and crowns are the two options you should consider when you want to restore the appearance and beauty of your smile. Even though the two help enhance smiles and confidence, they address different oral needs.

If you want to improve the appearance of your smile, there are several reasons to choose veneers over dental crowns. First, veneers are more conservative on tooth enamel because they help preserve the teeth' structure's integrity.

Similarly, veneers are suitable for minor dental issues, while crowns address major oral problems like decayed or weakened teeth.

Also, veneers are generally affordable because they require few tooth preparations, a low cost of materials, and few dental appointments.

Lastly, the minimal extraction of the teeth' enamel means that the underlying teeth are less sensitive than with dental crowns. You experience little or no sensitivity because the procedure preserves tooth vitality. Also, the bonding material that cements the veneers to the tooth surface covers the entire tooth, helping reduce sensitivity.

Find a Reputable Cosmetic Dentistry Practice Near Me

Chipped, uneven, or cracked teeth can negatively impact your self-esteem and deny you quality of life. Thankfully, Northridge Advanced Dentistry can restore your smile. Our dentists will help you choose the veneer type that suits your teeth and gives you the desired smile. Call us today at 818-701-3010 for a no-obligation consultation.