Dental veneers are thin pieces of tooth-colored porcelain bonded to the front surfaces of your natural teeth. These offer an easy way to address a variety of physical and aesthetic problems. Dental veneers can be an excellent way to hide slightly discolored, crooked or damaged teeth. However, because they are also permanent, you will need to carefully weigh the pros and cons of the procedure before you decide to get them. Here are few things to consider and discuss with your dentist.
Pros:
1. Easily Whiten Your Smile
Years of drinking coffee, smoking cigarettes or eating highly pigmented foods can eventually take their toll on your teeth, turning them an unattractive shade of yellow or brown. Stained enamel can be bleached at home or by your dentist, but it can become stained again. If you’re looking for an easier way to whiten your smile for good, dental veneers may be a good fit for you. Veneers are largely stain-resistant, so you won’t have to worry about discoloration or needing to have your veneers whitened.
2. Fix Minor Cosmetic Problems
Slightly crooked or gapped teeth can be treated with braces or other orthodontic treatments, but these problems can also sometimes be helped with veneers. Veneers are attached to the front surfaces of your teeth – so although they do not change their positions, they can camouflage minor misalignment problems. Your natural teeth may still be gapped or crooked, but nobody will know except you and your dentist. It’s important to note that veneers cannot always replace orthodontic treatment. In some cases, your dentist may refer you to an orthodontist instead of placing veneers.
3. Replace Damaged Enamel
Enamel is strong, but not indestructible. Your enamel may still become worn down from aggressive tooth brushing or chewing hard food or be eroded by highly acidic foods and drinks. Many patients are suffering GERD (heart burn). The stomach acid associated with acid reflux disease can also damage your enamel. This medical problem can become a dental problem because lost enamel is irreversible; it won’t grow back. Fortunately, it can be replaced. Veneers are an excellent treatment for teeth with enamel abrasion or enamel erosion, and are aesthetically pleasing at the same time.
Cons
1. High Cost
The price of veneers will vary based on your location, your dentist and the number of teeth you want restored, however, they can be expensive. And some insurance plans do not cover these procedures at all.
2. Increased Sensitivity
Some people experience an increase in tooth sensitivity after getting veneers. You may feel sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures for the first few days after your procedure, but it usually goes away after that. Tooth sensitivity is uncomfortable and inconvenient, but it can be managed with right products. Sensodyne or Colgate Sensitive Prevent & Repair toothpastes can help relieve the discomfort associated with tooth sensitivity and can even help repair and strengthen weakened enamel.
3. Irreversible Procedure
Veneers are considered permanent because your dentist needs to change the structure of your natural teeth to properly place them. Specifically, the outer layer of your enamel may need to be removed to make room for them.
Additionally, veneers can become fractured or de-bonded. Patients who habitually clench or grind their teeth (bruxism) need to consider carefully before selecting this procedure to restore their teeth. Also veneers won’t mask well the dark colored teeth due to intrinsic stains such as tetracycline stain or severe fluorosis or endodontically treated tooth; in these cases, crowns will be a better option.
