4 Ways Veneers Can Improve The Look Of Your Smile

Veneers are a popular cosmetic dental application that is used to beautify the teeth. Each veneer is actually a thin sliver of porcelain or resin that is bonded to the front outer surface of a tooth. Due to the perfect shaping and coloring of a veneer, the application can transform the appearance of an unattractive tooth. Here are a few ways that veneers can be used to improve the look of your smile:

Whitening

Dental bleaching solutions are often used to whiten teeth. However, most of these solutions contain peroxide, which can increase dental sensitivity. 

Dental sensitivity can become so severe that a patient may require a root canal to lessen his or her discomfort. To avoid problems with painful sensitivity, a dentist may suggest dental veneers to whiten the teeth. 

In addition, some dental discolorations cannot be bleached away. The darkening or discoloration of a tooth that results from a congenital defect, is caused by a dental injury or stems from the use of medications, such as tetracycline, is not lightened by dental bleaching agents. A veneer, however, hides the outer visible portion of a tooth. Thus, a dental patient can achieve the appearance of perfectly white teeth regardless of the cause of the discoloration.

Correcting Tooth Shape

A chipped tooth may be unsightly. However, the tooth may otherwise be healthy and structurally sound. Veneers can be affixed to chipped or misshapen teeth to normalize their appearance. 

A veneer can conceal a chip and make the tooth look uniform and undamaged. In addition, the color and luminosity of adjacent teeth can be matched so that the veneer blends seamlessly inside the mouth. 

Tiny Teeth

Sometimes, the size of the teeth may not coincide aesthetically with the patient's mouth or facial structure. Using veneers, a dentist can make the teeth appear larger, perfectly sizing the veneers to match the patient's appearance. 

Misaligned Teeth

If a dental alignment is not extreme, veneers can be used to adjust the appearance. The veneers do not correct the alignment as braces would, and the bite of the patient remains unchanged. However, veneers are often able to give the illusion of perfectly straight teeth, since the thickness and shape of a veneer can be individually fashioned for each tooth.

Veneers are used to improve the appearance of teeth. Their effect is completely cosmetic. Thus, they do not contribute to the health of a tooth. Still, veneers can be used to correct a wide variety of dental imperfections. To determine whether or not you can benefit from veneers, contact a dentist like Tore D Steinberg DDS PC.