In today’s date with improved methods and techniques and better material, like superior cement and enhanced bonding agents, veneers may last up to ten to thirty years. Veneers have become an important tool in today’s dental cosmetics. It can be used for single tooth or for a set of teeth, depending upon the requirement of the patients.
To undergo the procedure of getting dental veneers one may have to take multiple trips to the dentist. The first couple of visits involve diagnosis and planning the course of the treatment. After suggesting dental veneers as a viable treatment, the dentist may take a few x-rays and may take the impressions of the teeth. The next visit will involve preparing your teeth for the veneer treatment. Here the dentist removes the enamel from your tooth, and this equals the amount of veneer that is going to be added to the tooth. After taking the impression of your mouth and teeth, the mould is sent to the laboratory for construction of the veneer. Once the veneer is constructed, the dentist, before permanently cementing the veneer to the tooth, may further take a couple of sittings to see if the veneer fits properly. If it does not set properly on the teeth, the dentist may further chip the enamel from your teeth. Only when it is ensured that the veneer has fit properly, the dentist will use permanent bonding agent to place and fix the veneer on the tooth. Your dentist may further ask you to return for a follow-up visits in a couple of weeks. This is to check how the gums are responding to the presence of the veneer and simultaneously to examine again the placement of the veneer on the tooth.
Dental veneers have many advantages.
Primarily they provide natural aesthetic appearance to the teeth. The color that is chosen for the veneer can be a shade whiter than the original color of the teeth, thus making the dark teeth look whiter. Porcelain-based veneers are also easily tolerated by the gum tissue.
The flipside or the downside of using veneers are also many. The procedure is irreversible and in case they chip or crack they are irreparable. Veneers also make the tooth sensitive to cold and hot food or drinks. This happens because the process of applying veneer involves removal of the enamel, thereby exposing the tooth and making it sensitive to hot and cold substances. Sometimes, the color of dental veneers may not exactly match with the color of your other teeth. Also, once in place, the veneer's color cannot be modified or altered. Veneers can also dislodge from their place and occasionally they can fall off. To avoid this one must make sure that excessive pressure is not exerted on the teeth and hard objects such as nails, ice, pencils, etc are chewed. Dental veneers can also decay over a period of time.
Veneers are not recommended for people who have unhealthy teeth (like those whose teeth have decayed or people having gum disease), weakened teeth (because of fracture, chipped tooth or dental fillings), or for those who have an inadequate amount of existing enamel on the tooth surface. Individuals who regularly clench and grind their teeth are poor candidates for porcelain veneers, as this can cause the veneers to crack.
It is asserted that with superior quality of bonding agent and cements, dental veneers can last from anywhere between 10 to 30 years. During this time, there could be situations where these need to be replaced in lieu to several different reasons. These reasons include cracking, decay, shrinkage of the gum line, chipping, discoloration and damage from an injury or due to tooth grinding.
Caring for dental veneers is vital, although they do not require any special care. Good oral and dental hygiene practices should be followed. Teeth should be brushed and flossed regularly in a normal manner. Some foods and beverages, that are sensitive to the teeth or that cause to leave stain on porcelain veneers, can be avoided as per the recommendation of the dentist. Examples of beverages that may leave stain include coffee, wine etc.
Finding the right dental help is extremely important if you are planning to go for your dental treatments.