Veneers for a More Beautiful Smile

What are veneers, and how can they help?

Veneers are thin, durable shells that are bonded to the surface of a tooth. They are custom-made and are used to enhance a tooth’s appearance; you can think of them as durable dental makeup or camouflage. Stained or chipped teeth are a potential reason for dental veneers.

The most common types of veneers are made of composite resin or porcelain. At Brocks Gap Dentistry, we prefer porcelain because of aesthetics and durability. Porcelain veneers last longer, leaving you with a beautiful smile for a decade or more. Veneers can help provide a whiter and reshaped smile. They can, as well, be used to deal with broken, ground, or chipped teeth or damaged enamel.

The first step to getting porcelain veneers is a consultation where X-rays are taken and some of the tooth’s enamel is removed to prepare for the veneers. Once you have a tooth prepped for a veneer, the procedure is no longer reversible since part of your actual tooth is permanently altered in the process. Next, an impression is made and sent off to a lab for your porcelain veneers to be delicately milled and shaped to fit your tooth. You’ll receive temporary veneers while your porcelain veneers are being made. At your follow-up appointment, the temporary ones are removed, and you will get the final, more permanent ones bonded to your tooth or teeth.

Are veneers right for you?

Sometimes after getting veneers bonded to your teeth, people experience what is referred to as bonding sensitivity. This is perfectly normal. If you experience discomfort, ibuprofen can help. This discomfort shouldn’t last more than a couple of weeks.

Veneers are not for people with poor gum health, nor are they good for people who clench or grind their teeth because bruxism (teeth grinding) will damage veneers. Veneers are still susceptible to decay, so it is important to practice good dental hygiene since it is difficult to repair a chipped or cracked veneer without replacing the whole thing.

Once you have veneers, unless they need to be replaced, they require no other special care beyond the standard brushing, flossing, and regular dental office visits. Professional cleanings are still recommended every six months.