One of the most popular methods in cosmetic dentistry is the restoration of one’s smile with the help of dental veneers. It improves the quality of the teeth’s appearance and gives a significant boost in one’s confidence. But the question is, are veneers worth it? Does going through the entire procedure worth the money and effort? In this article, we prepared a comprehensive overview of dental veneers. We will cover the perks and benefits that you can achieve with them as well as a brief description of how it’s done. If you want to learn more, you can consult Dr Jack from Beyond Infinity Dental in Castle Hill by clicking on the link provided.

What’s a Dental Veneer?

A dental veneer (also known as porcelain veneer) is an ultra-thin shelling or laminate that is designed to improve the quality of one’s smile by covering the surface of the front teeth. The shells can be moulded into the patient’s preferred shape, colour, and size before it’s bonded to the front teeth. The materials vary from porcelain to composite resin. You can discuss your preference with your dentist so you can be informed about the advantages of each type. 

Dental Problems That Veneers Can Fix

Teeth Discolouration:

• After root canal
• Stains from antibiotic like tetracycline
• Too much fluoride
• A large amount of tooth filling (resin)
• Coffee stains and other food
• Smoking

Other reasons:

• Worn-down tooth
• Chipped or broken tooth
• Misaligned teeth (bulges, gaps, crooked)

Dental veneers can fix these problems efficiently. As you can see, veneers can improve the aesthetic quality of your teeth in more ways than one. Not only does it restore the colour of your teeth, but it can also improve the quality of your bite and jaw alignment by fixing broken teeth. Before we talk about the benefits, let’s take a brief look at the procedure.

Porcelain Veneer Procedure

Diagnosis and Planning of Treatment

Your dentist will examine your teeth’s condition first and discuss the adequate treatment plan. Depending on the result, your dentist will recommend the appropriate steps for the procedure. The process typically involves an Xray so that your dentist will get a comprehensive view of your teeth’s structure. Once the results are finalised, the actual procedure will begin. Below are the steps:

Trimming

The process is done to make sure that your teeth will accommodate the thin layer of laminate that will be bonded on its surface. The idea is to keep the natural thickness of your teeth so that there will be no noticeable changes in appearance after the procedure. Your teeth will be trimmed to the appropriate shape to give the porcelain veneer a perfect fit, and in some cases, if tooth decay is present, the damaged part will also be removed. Anesthetic is typically not required; however, if you have sensitive teeth or if the decay is prominent, your dentist will administer anesthesia to reduce the discomfort. 

Colour Shading

As the name implies, this process is to make sure that the colour of the porcelain veneer matches the natural colour of your teeth. You can ask your doctor to use a whiter shade if more than one tooth is covered.

Structure Impression

In this process, your dentist will make a copy of the entire structure of the affected area by putting a putty or paste to make the mould. The mould will be used as a model to create the porcelain veneer. The importance of this process is to make sure that the porcelain veneer will get an accurate fit.

Temporary Veneer Placement (if required)

The fabrication of the permanent veneer takes one or two weeks to complete. And since your teeth have been trimmed, temporary veneers might be needed. The idea is to reduce sensitivity when eating or drinking. However, of the amount of the trimmed surface is very minimal, then you can opt-out of getting the temporary fix. You can discuss your options with your dentist at this point.

Bonding Evaluation 

At this stage, your dentist will temporarily bond the porcelain veneer on your teeth to check and evaluate the shape, colour, and fitting. You will also determine if there’s discomfort so your dentist can make the appropriate adjustments if necessary. 

Permanent Bonding

After careful evaluation and possible modifications, your dentist will bond the veneer to your teeth permanently. This method involves etching, where an acid etching gel is applied to your teeth so that the bonding becomes efficient. 

Wrap-up

After the bonding, your dentist will re-check the fit for possible adjustments. In some cases, the excess shape may need to be trimmed. You will also be asked to test your bite to confirm the veneer’s stability. You can tell your dentist for any discomfort at this stage so that the necessary fix can be made. We also recommend a follow-up checkup for better results.

The Benefits of Dental Veneers

Now that you have an idea on what a dental veneer is and the procedure, it’s time to talk about its benefits. At this point, you will be able to determine the answer to the question: Are veneers worth it? 

Aesthetic Quality: It is without a doubt that veneers improve the quality of your smile dramatically. With an impressive appearance, you can get a significant boost in your overall confidence.

Improved Bite: Having the gaps filled, and the chips repaired, you can enjoy eating like before. Your bite will get a considerable improvement which helps the breakdown of food. Your digestive system benefits as well.

Improved Speech: Misaligned teeth together with the gaps, can affect the way you utter words. With the help of dental veneers, you can utter every phrase clearer.

Final Note

Our final take on dental veneers is positive. The answer to the question: Are veneers worth it? – is yes. Not only does it improve the appearance of your smile, but it also contributes significantly to your overall health. So, if you have oral problems that dental veneers can fix, we highly recommend getting dental veneers as soon as possible.