How Do Veneers Work?

We’re not all naturally blessed with great shaped and coloured teeth. That’s just natural and simple biology, and a lot of the smiles we aspire to in the media have had some form of professional dentistry to aid their ascent. Stars like Demi Moore and Tom Cruise received have veneers, for example, with Moore even wearing a denture for some time due to losing her front teeth. We’re all human and all made individually, so sometimes we need a little helping hand to give us the teeth and the smile we’d really like. But how do veneers work?

The veneers treatment process

If you’re conscious of your teeth being discoloured, chipped, wonky, or uneven in size then veneers could be the perfect treatment for you. Dental veneers are thin teeth covers that are attached to the front surface of your natural teeth using a strong dental adhesive. Some dentists use composite to create veneers, but we prefer to use porcelain. This is because porcelain veneers are far stronger, more durable, and provide excellent cosmetic results.

We’ll check for any signs of gum disease or other factors that might hinder your treatment before beginning, and once we’ve ascertained we could help you then we’ll begin planning! A thin layer of enamel will need to be ‘trimmed’ from your teeth to make them the right size for veneers, but this is nothing to worry about.

When are veneers used?

The changing of a tooth colour to a dull or yellowish colour can be evened by veneers. Tooth discolouration can be the result of medication, ageing, or lifestyle habits, and sometimes teeth whitening treatments just don’t penetrate as deeply as you may need. This is often the case for those who have a ‘dead tooth’, which is when the tooth stops receiving blood flow and nerve signals. It turns a brown or grey colour often beginning from the gum-line and stretching downwards. In this case, traditional whitening methods might not be enough to install a brightness, so a veneer can blend the affected tooth back into your smile.

The shape of teeth may not be how we’d like them. For example, a common misshapen tooth that veneers can mask is a ‘peg tooth’. Occurring more often than not in the lateral incisors (they’re the teeth directly next to your two front upper teeth), they’re pointy and abnormal in size. Teeth can be naturally too short or too small depending on how they develop, but this can be fixed.

Repairing chipped teeth is also well within the capabilities of veneers. Whether through injury, trauma, or decay, a chipped tooth really hinders our smiles. They may not be medically problematic, but if you feel self-conscious about it then of course you’d like to address it. A dental veneer will attach to the top of the tooth and be secured to the surface but pay special thought to the parts of it that aren’t supported – you wouldn’t want to chip it again!

Improving gaps is another great advantage of veneers if you’re swaying away from teeth straightening. Teeth aren’t often made in even sizes, meaning we may have gaps between them that we’d rather not. Our teeth might even be perfectly straight and not crowded at all, but we still might have spaces and gaps we can’t help. Veneers made to a uniform size can be placed on multiple teeth in the mouth, creating an even smile and covering any gaps.

Veneers are a great addition to our cosmetic dentistry services here at Crescent Lodge Dental Practice. We’re proud to keep Clapham smiling, so if you’re considering veneers or any dentistry for that matter, you’ll always receive expert and friendly treatment with us. Call 020 7622 5333 or enquire online today to book your first appointment at our London dental practice.

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