5 Things Porcelain Veneers Can Fix
Are there things about your smile that you just don’t like? Do you wish that you could fix them, but don’t want to devote a lot of time to cosmetic dental treatment? Are you looking for a way to fix several different things about your smile at once? If this sounds like you, then you may want to consider porcelain veneers.
Porcelain veneers are thin shells that are placed on the front of your teeth. You can choose to have veneers placed on a single tooth, all your visible teeth, or any number of teeth in between. No matter how many veneers you decide to have placed, they can usually all be placed in as little as two dental appointments.
During the first appointment your teeth will be prepared by removing a tiny amount of enamel to make room for the shell. Then a dental impression will be taken and sent to a dental lab to fabricate your veneers. During the second appointment, they will be adhered to your teeth. Once they have been applied, dental veneers can correct the following five things:
1. Size
One thing that can make your smile appear less than perfect are teeth that are not all the same size. Although the different types of teeth do vary in structure and size, they should all be relatively similar to look nice. Porcelain veneers are able to create a more even smile by correcting the size of the teeth so that they complement one another. Furthermore, veneers can also be used to correct teeth that appear to be too small because of a gummy smile.
2. Color
Have you tried professional teeth whitening to no avail? This may be because the types of stains on your teeth are either unable to be removed by whitening treatments. For example, stains caused by age may or may not be improved with whitening, and those caused by medications will simply continue while taking those medications. For these cases, having porcelain veneers placed can improve the color of your teeth.
3. Shape
Whether your teeth are oddly shaped or just not as contoured as you’d like them to be, porcelain veneers can help. Veneers can improve the contour of each tooth so that they have an overall more even and pleasing appearance.
4. Spacing
Whether your teeth have gaps between them or are so close that they slightly overlap, uneven spaces between teeth can impair the look of your smile. Veneers work especially well to eliminate gaps between teeth. In some cases, they can also be used to correct overlapping teeth. However, it depends on the extent of the overlap.
5. Alignment
Porcelain veneers are also able to help with alignment issues. To be clear, veneers will not alter the alignment of your teeth, however they can be used to cover up crooked teeth so that they appear to be properly aligned. In cases where the alignment problem is too severe, your dentist will likely recommend another treatment.
Overall, porcelain veneers can offer you a beautiful smile by fixing the size, color, shape, spacing, and alignment of your teeth. It is also possible to achieve this smile with a conservative procedure that takes as little as two dental appointments. If porcelain veneers sound like an ideal cosmetic dental treatment for you, then the final question is: what are you waiting for?
Dr. Claudia Wood
Dr. Claudia Wood completed her dental training at University of Detroit Mercy Dental School. She has worked in Detroit, Gross Point and Warren Michigan for two years. She returned home to Canada in 2006 where she worked with Dr. Trevor Mair in Scarborough from 2006 to 2011.
Her clinical experience includes two years working at Detroit Receiving Hospital, one of the busiest hospitals in the U.S., and volunteering in Haiti in 2006 for 10 days.
