Veneers are thin pieces of either porcelain or composite that are used to make teeth look brighter, yet natural. They are stronger than our own teeth so they stand the test of time. You will often hear of celebrities and models getting them rather than getting painful oral surgery. This is so that they can get the look of straight, glowing teeth without the pain, time and expense of surgery.

Veneers are used to change the shape, color or size of our natural teeth. It is important to know that they are permanent. Once you get them, you can never go back to your original teeth. The reason for this is that in order to size and fit them, your original teeth are shaved down. You can always get them resized and reshaped, but you cannot get your original teeth back.

Porcelain Veneers

There are two main types. There are porcelain veneers and there are composite veneers. Porcelain veneers are the more popular of the two. They are made using several ultra-thin layers of porcelain. They are then attached to your teeth using a very light resin. It is then hardened using a special light. It becomes stronger than your original teeth.

They are ideal for people who want to hide teeth that are in bad shape. It is great for teeth that are discolored, slightly broken or shaped oddly. Sometimes they are used to help fill the gap between two teeth. They are just built thick enough to make up the space that was between the teeth.

Some people choose to get veneers because their teeth do not respond to teeth whitening treatments. However, they are considered by some to be a “quick fix” as opposed to long-term treatment. Rather than get several procedures to fix broken teeth or apply crowns, you can cover up the problem teeth with them. It also takes away the need to get constant teeth whitening treatments.

Benefits of Porcelain Veneers

There are many obvious benefits of porcelain veneers:

• As opposed to crowns, your natural teeth stay almost the same. Only the tiniest amount of your teeth is shaved down to allow them to fit.
• They do make your teeth look ultra clean and bright. You can rarely if ever achieve this level of whiteness using treatments or dental procedures. It would require several procedures and constant maintenance to achieve this kind of brightness on your own.
• They are ideal for small inconsistencies in your teeth. If you have tiny gaps, spaces or overlap, they may be the way to go.
• Once they are fitted to your teeth, there is little to no pain involved. They also don’t cause pain once they are in your mouth.
• The veneers are handcrafted to match your own teeth. It is almost as if they were custom made for you.
• They are more durable than your own teeth. However, they are still brittle so don’t do anything like open bottle caps with your teeth!

Are There Any Downsides to Veneers?

As with any procedure, there are always certain downsides. The same is true of veneers. They are not the easy fix that some people think they are.

• As explained earlier, they are not reversible. Once your teeth are shaved down to accommodate them, there is no going back. You will never have your original teeth back.
• It does take a week or so for the lab to make them. here will be a short period of time where you have shaved and misshapen teeth in your mouth. However, this is a small price to pay to have near perfect teeth.
• For the first week or so that you have your veneers, they may cause your teeth to be sensitive. Your teeth will be sensitive to cold or hot so avoid things like coffee and ice cream. This normally goes away over time.

Alternative to Veneers – Veneer Dentures

If you are leery of getting actual veneers, you can always get veneer dentures. These are known as snap-on veneers. They go in and out of your mouth so they are not as permanent.

A snap-on veneer is a cover that goes over your entire set of teeth. They make your teeth look bright, straight and as close to perfect as one can. They are made from a very thin resin that is strong enough to protect your teeth. It is very thin, however, so you can eat and drink without worry. They can stand up to normal activity.

Snap-ons are perfect for people who don’t have the money to get expensive bridges or porcelain veneers. You can get new sets of veneer dentures a lot easier than you can porcelain ones. They are also a lot less expensive.

How Are They Different from Crowns?

When you get a crown, most of your natural tooth has to be removed or destroyed to fit the crown. With veneers, only a small amount of your actual tooth is shaved down.

Crowns also are made to fit over your entire tooth. Veneers only cover the parts that are visible to others It truly is for cosmetic purposes.  Crowns are designed not only to look good but also to protect your teeth. Crowns can break. You may have to get them replaced several times over the life of your smile.  Veneers are very durable. If they do break, you can quickly get a replacement. Crowns may take a bit longer to replace.

Contact Dr. H. Carl Burton Jr, DMD with All Your Veneer Questions

If you take care of your teeth, you may never need veneers or crowns. However, like many people, you may run into dental issues down the road.  When you do, make sure you contact Dr. H. Carl Burton Jr, DMD, DMD, PA in Greenville, South Carolina.  He is an expert at veneers and can help you achieve your perfect smile!