What are they?
A veneer is a thin layer of tooth-coloured material that is placed over the front of the tooth to enhance its aesthetic appearance. Veneers can be used if the tooth has been damaged by decay, an accident or discoloration due to certain medications or lifestyle habits.
What will my dentist do?
Veneers are typically made out of porcelain and require multiple visits with your dentist. During these visits, your dentist may need to check any existing fillings in your teeth and remove a small amount of natural tooth material in order to ensure that the veneer won’t look bulky or feel uncomfortable when applied. The preparation process will depend on how much damage exists on the affected tooth, and whether it needs to be built up with a filling first. Your dentist will then use putty-like materials to take an impression (or mould) of your mouth so that a dental technician can create a custom fit for you. When you return for another visit, your dentist will glue the completed veneer onto your tooth securely. Although rare, there is always risk that accidental knocks could cause it to come away from the surface or break – however, this doesn’t mean it cannot be reattached or replaced if required! Alternatively, some dentists offer direct build up options where white fillings are used directly onto roughened surfaces on teeth until achieving desired results with minimal use of dental materials overall.
What are the benefits?
Veneers offer numerous advantages such as dramatically improving cosmetic appearance while preserving minimal amounts of natural enamel; providing protection against further discoloration/damage caused by acid erosions; being less invasive than crowns (when applicable); and having increased longevity due longer lasting adhesives available today compared with previous generations’ bonding agents which had shorter life spans before needing replacement again.