What are veneers and how do they work?

What are veneers?

Veneers are one of the most popular dental procedures. A veneer is a layer put over a tooth or teeth for both aesthetic and dental health reasons, as it can serve as a protective layer that protects the tooth from external damage. Conditions, where a veneer might be required, include tooth discolouration or malformation, enamel hypoplasia (a condition that results in too little enamel), enamel hypo calcification (when the enamel does not contain enough minerals to perform its protective duties), enamel fractures, fluorosis, etc. Multiple veneers are capable of correcting gaps between teeth, increasing the length of eroded teeth, and making the teeth appear more symmetric. Most dentists offer treatment with veneers in Sydney CBD.

The history of veneers

The first time veneers were used in history was in the year of 1928, when a Charles Pincus a dentist in California used them on actors’ teeth to temporarily change their appearance. Later he used acrylic veneers temporarily applied to teeth with adhesive. Further research in 1982 revealed a technique that could attach porcelain veneers to teeth with an unprecedented strength, making them suitable for permanent application. The two main types of veneer used by dentists today are composite and dental porcelain.

Where to get veneers?

Dentists offer treatment plans with veneers at any good cosmetic dentist’s practice. These clinics can be found by searching for the treatment and location online. For example, if you live in the San Diego area, you could search for “cosmetic dentist rancho san diego” or something along those lines and find a reliable expert in the area. The treatment consists of multiple steps and stages. The first appointment is a consultation with your dentist, who evaluates the condition of your teeth and determines the amount, type and planned location of the required veneers. You will be presented with a new, planned smile digitally, which you can try on virtually. This is created by taking pictures and videos of you from every direction, to be able to create veneers that match your facial aesthetics. In case you would like anything different to this planned smile, you can make changes with your dentist. After this, only your approval of the designed smile is required, and the treatment can start. The treatment is as follows: lower and upper teeth restoration, crown design and insertion, the alignment of your bite, and the preventive occlusal splint.

How is a veneer prepared?

When a veneer is applied to a patient’s teeth, depending on the individual circumstances, a small part of the tooth’s enamel layer may be removed, to make the porcelain able to bind to the tooth with the required strength. In these cases a local anaesthetic is usually applied to minimise the resulting discomfort. After a veneer has been applied, only minor changes can be introduced, therefore it is really important to design your new smile with your dentist properly.

How durable are veneers?

Historically veneers have only lasted for a very short period of time. Today’s veneer materials however are more durable, allowing them to last without requiring maintenance for years. However it is important to note that just like your teeth, veneers can also break. Smaller parts of the veneer breaking off can potentially be repaired, however major breaks require the fitting of new veneers.

In summary veneers are very useful tools of both cosmetic and non-cosmetic dentistry, providing patients with the opportunity to design their smile the way they want it to look.

Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.