Veneers are a popular cosmetic dental option for adults who want to improve the look of their teeth and achieve a picture-perfect smile. Did you know, though, that veneers are an easy and effective way to address a number of non-cosmetic dental problems and preserve your overall oral health?
At Ardsley Dental Spa in Ardsley, New York, Dr. Hinna Chaudhry and her staff offer a wide range of dental services, including the placement of porcelain veneers. While aesthetic improvement is a driving factor for many of her patients, Dr. Chaudhry wants you to know that veneers can also be used for many non-cosmetic reasons, so she’s put together this guide to help spread the word about their versatility.
Dental veneers are wafer-thin shells made of either porcelain or a resin-composite, which are permanently bonded to the front surface of your teeth. They’re versatile enough to be able to change the size, shape, or length of your tooth, and the dentist matches the color to your surrounding teeth.
Veneers are widely used to fix teeth that are:
The most commonly applied veneers are for the top front eight teeth, mostly for cosmetic reasons.
While many people get veneers to brighten their smile or correct small flaws, there are many non-cosmetic reasons why you might choose to get veneers. These include:
The hard enamel that surrounds your teeth and covers the soft inner dentin and pulp helps keep out pathogens and prevent decay. However, it’s not indestructible. Years of wear-and-tear, eating highly acidic foods, injury, and poor oral hygiene can all conspire to weaken it, putting your teeth at risk.
Serious cracks threaten your tooth’s integrity and require a dental crown to shore it up and protect it. Since any opening in the enamel provides a pathway for bacteria to enter and cause infection and decay, if you don’t repair the crack, you could wind up needing major dental work, including a root canal or even an extraction.
For minor cracks, which may affect only the superficial layers, veneers make great alternatives to crowns. They’re bonded directly to the tooth’s surface, which means they effectively seal the crack and prevent further damage from occurring. And what’s even better is that material itself is resistant to erosion. That makes your tooth’s new surface even stronger than the enamel you were born with.
Unlike a crown, too, which requires extensive grinding to make room for the cap, the dentist needs to remove only a small amount of the tooth’s surface for a veneer placement. That makes it a much less invasive procedure, translating into less cost and less time in the dentist’s chair.
Cavities can form on the chewing (top) surfaces of your teeth, but they more commonly occur in between teeth, especially between the front teeth. Known as “interproximal cavities,” they’re more likely to form in people who have wider-than-normal spacing between their teeth — the gaps allow bacteria to more easily access the interproximal areas, and you develop a buildup of plaque and tartar.
Veneers can “seal” the gaps between teeth, making it harder for food particles and bacteria to access these spaces. That means better fewer cavities, better oral hygiene, and less likelihood of gum disease.
Uneven teeth can lead to bite misalignments, excessive wear, more difficulty chewing, and sometimes even problems talking. Veneers can be used to make the teeth a uniform size and shape, promoting better oral health.
If you have teeth that are less perfect than you’d like them to be, dental veneers may be a good option to keep your mouth healthy and beautiful. To learn more, give our office a call at 914-236-1617 to set up a consultation with Dr. Chaudhry, or book online with us today.
