Dental veneers are also known as porcelain veneers or dental porcelain laminates.
These terms are used to refer to customized, wafer-thin shells made from materials with the same color as your teeth.
They’re designed to coat the front surface of your teeth to make them look better.
It changes their color, size, shape, or length. Think of them as the dental equivalent of fake nails women use over their nails.
Dental veneers can be made from porcelain (ceramic) material, which explains why it’s also sometimes called porcelain veneers. But they can also be made from resin composite materials. Porcelain veneers may seem more natural because they reflect light almost the same way as natural teeth do. They’re also much better than the resin veneers in resisting stains.
On the other hand, resin veneers are thinner, and not as much of the tooth surface has to be removed before they can be placed on your teeth.
There are several possible reasons why you would need a veneer:
- If you have a discolored tooth that stands out, a veneer with exactly the right color can be used to cover the stain.
- It can also be used to lighten the color of your front teeth, which may need it if you’re a smoker or a constant coffee drinker.
- If you have a chipped tooth, a veneer can make it seem like your tooth is whole again. The veneer covers the entire front area of the tooth, and a thicker section of the veneer covers the broken part.
- If you have small gaps between your teeth, the veneer can offer a faster way of closing it than if you use braces.
- A veneer may also be used on a tooth that’s slightly out of position and align it with your other teeth.
Veneers are resilient and as strong as natural tooth enamel. But they can also chip if you use them too aggressively. Don’t bite your nails with them or use them to open packages. But chewing food presents no problem at all.
Call us if you think you have a problem which can be solved by placing veneers, and we can determine if they are really right for you. At Coastal Smiles Dentistry, we can then create natural-looking veneers and cement them to your teeth properly.