A veneer is like a ‘false finger nail’ of porcelain that is cemented on to the front the tooth to change its shape and colour. Veneers were developed about 25 years ago and have become the mainstay of cosmetic dentistry.
A veneer or veneers have become popular with dentists and patients alike because they offer the beautiful aesthetics of porcelain but avoid the heavily loss of tooth tissue that can go with conventional full crowns (see What is a Crown?).
The ultimate use of veneers can be seen in ‘Hollywood Makeover Programmes’ on TV when they are used in a technique called Smile Design.
If a patient is unhappy with several aspects of their smile, then they are able to completely change the appearance of all of the front teeth using veneers. At StoneRock Dental Care we are able to work with highly skilled technicians who are used to building natural looking, stunning smiles to fit to the teeth we have prepared.
The work involved for this sort of case is considerable with several planning visits followed by two treatment visits lasting a whole morning or an afternoon. The fees charged for ‘Smile Design’ cases reflect the high levels of skill and the time involved but we feel the results are worth it.
Remember: ‘If you look good, you feel good. And feeling good is part of being healthy’.
How long will my veneers last?
Veneers are one of the most successful types of restoration used in dentistry. There are lots of studies to show that by ten years of use as few as 10 to 30% will have failed. In other words if someone has ten veneers fitted they might expect to have broken less than 3 of them after ten years.
If I have my teeth fitted with veneers, can I go back to how my teeth were later on?
No. The preparation required to make room for the veneer, whilst often very slight compared to a conventional crown, is still significant and is irreversible. Careful thought and thorough planning is required before the work can begin.
Are all teeth suitable for veneers?
Nearly all teeth can be treated with some form of aesthetic restoration but some teeth require more work than others. If a tooth is very heavily filled already, it is sometimes better to treat it with some form of crown to help prevent it from further fracture (see What is a Crown?). Your dentist will be able to guide you as to which restoration is most appropriate for you.
Do I have to do any other work before I can have my veneers?
At StoneRock Dental Care we are committed to providing comprehensive dental care, which means that we want to care for every aspect of our patients dental health. Before we can consider aesthetic improvements to teeth we first think about the health of the gums that support them as well as the way in which the teeth have to function.
Your dentist will be able to tell you what work is required to bring your mouth up to full health and how you can keep it that way.