In today’s age of technology the dental veneer has replaced many older systems that have been used over the years to cover up imperfections, irregularities and a host of other deficits in the teeth, including discoloration, misshapenness, bad alignment and many more.
While procedures such as whitening and bleaching still serve their purpose, they sometimes do not achieve the satisfactory long-term results that veneers do. A veneer which is a thin egg-shell-like covering generally made out of a composite substance or of porcelain, is widely acclaimed and accepted in modern dentistry as being the efficient way to deal with cosmetic problems such as chips, cracks, stains, and blemishes.
The veneer is bonded on by a special dental adhesive on the front of the troublesome tooth. The adhesive is applied on the tooth which has been prepared by a process known as ‘etching’ where miniscule abrasions are created on the tooth surface in order to increase the bonding process.
The veneer has been created at a dental laboratory from an imprint which the dentist has taken of your tooth previously, which is why this is a process that cannot be accomplished in a single visit to the dental office. You will have to be prepared for a second visit.
A clever cosmetic dentist will seek to cover up not only the discolorations in the teeth, but will also mold and construct the veneer into a shape that will fill up the irregular gaps, lengthen the short teeth and transform your teeth to have a uniform appearance.
Once the veneer has been correctly placed the dentist applies a special blue light which catalyzes the adhesive and causes it to bond to the tooth enamel surface. This process does not require any anesthetic and there are rarely any side effects apart from a little sensitivity in the teeth and gums during and for a few days after.
Many people prefer to opt for porcelain veneers, which although a little costly in comparison, have much to recommend them, including:
Strong and durable when bonded on strong tooth enamel
Translucent in nature which allows the passage of light through its surface creating an extremely natural tooth-like appearance
Highly resistant to staining owing to its ceramic surface
Veneers are considered the practical option to disguise those embarrassing teeth that make you hesitate to smile.
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