Smiling is one of the most effective ways of communicating non-verbally. If you struggle to express yourself confidently due to your dental appearance, dental veneers could help. Dental veneers are custom-made shells that cover and protect the front surface of your teeth. It is a type of dental procedure used to improve the appearance of teeth and make them look longer, fix damages caused by tooth decay or trauma, make teeth look straighter, or even change their color.
Your dentist will usually begin by grinding the tooth and making it ready for taking the impression and creating the mold. Some dentists use CAD/CAM technology to design the veneer.
Keep reading to learn about the most common dental veneers used today.
Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are made from porcelain (a type of ceramic) and are typically used when the tooth has been worn down or chipped. They're bonded to the tooth using dental cement or resin, which allows them to be very thin and lightweight so that they don't stand out from the rest of your smile. Porcelain veneers are strong enough to withstand everyday use but also look natural.
Composite Resin Veneers
Composite resin is a mixture of organic and inorganic materials and is not as durable as porcelain ones. Resin veneers do not irritate the surrounding tissues despite using an inorganic agent. They are also designed to look like natural teeth but are prone to staining over time.
No Prep Veneers
No-prep veneers typically take less time and are less invasive than the other veneers. They are made of different types of porcelain. Instead of grinding the tooth and removing different layers, no-prep veneers affect just the enamel. Lumineers and Vivaneers are the two common types of no-prep veneers.
Temporary Veneers
Temporary veneers are also called "snap-on veneers." These veneers are made using a flexible resin and are often used as a temporary fix until the permanent veneer is fabricated.
The two types of temporary veneers are instant veneers and custom-made clip-on veneers.
Benefits of Dental Veneers
Dental veneers' most significant benefit is that they will give you back your smile and can provide immediate results with little disruption to your daily life or schedule. They can effectively cover many imperfections in teeth, including chips, cracks, gaps between teeth, and stains. It can also treat teeth that are smaller than usual or unusually shaped, and it will last many years if properly maintained. It is also an excellent alternative for damaged enamel.
Post-treatment care is crucial for the veneers to last. Please ensure that you understand and follow all the instructions given by your dentist. Patients are usually advised not to misuse the front teeth by biting on hard things like pencils or tearing open sealed packets.
If you want to know more about dental veneers and other cosmetic dental procedures, the dedicated team of qualified dentists at Grand Ledge Smiles will be more than happy to help you. We are a family-friendly team of doctors who use modern technology and provide top-notch treatments. Contact us to learn more!