Can Veneers Work On Crooked Teeth? Dental veneers can work wonders when it comes to treating minor anomalies of teeth like stained teeth, discoloured teeth, broken teeth, chipped teeth, or misaligned teeth. They can also be used to improve functions if the enamel of the tooth is not fully mineralised, or enough enamel is not present.
Veneers are thin tooth-coloured shells made of porcelain that are customised according to your teeth and bonded over them. They allow natural restoration and are an excellent option for enhancing smile aesthetics. Along with this, they strengthen your natural teeth and prevent them from further damage. The two standard veneer technologies currently in use are Lumineers and Smile infinity®.
How do veneers work?
Veneers are custom made shells that are bonded to the anterior surface of your tooth and prevent them from damage. They are tooth-coloured and hence cannot be distinguished from the rest of your teeth; this provides an invisible restoration to your dental issues. If you have stained teeth, veneers will act as a cover and veil any intrinsic or extrinsic stains present on your teeth. In this manner, they can also hide the discoloured teeth.
Hypocalcification of enamel can make the teeth brittle and fragile. Veneers can help in invigorating them by providing extra thickness. In such a way, they can serve their function of biting and chewing more efficiently.
Minor chips, fracture, or breaks that may occur due to trauma of any kind can be resolved by putting a veneer over it. Know about the types of Veneer preparations here.
Can everyone use veneers?
Veneers can be metaphorically called as magical shells for your dental anomalies as they invisibly restore your teeth. But to be eligible for getting veneers, you have to consult your dentist, who will thoroughly examine you and then decide if you qualify for veneers or not. You must satisfy a few basic criteria. A few conditions where veneers are contraindicated include:
- People who have poor oral hygiene.
- People who have poor quality enamel which is not sufficient enough even for bonding purposes.
- People with Bruxism, where they involuntarily clench and grind their teeth, without any underlying the cause. This condition may lead to fracture of their veneers and also of their own teeth
- In cases where the veneer has to be placed in the subgingival or gum tissue, patients with receding gum lines or poor gum health are not eligible.
- If the teeth have been extensively manipulated by various other restorations, such as root canal, or previous bonding, veneers can not be applied.
- In people with very expansive interdental space, veneers could not be positioned adequately.
- If the teeth of a person are positioned upwards (labial version), or excessively crowded, other interventions such as braces have to be used to correct their position. A veneer can just hide the crooked teeth, but it will not correct the anomaly.
What are the major advantages and disadvantages of using dental veneers?
Just like any other dental prostheses, dental veneers have a few advantages and disadvantages. Nothing can be perfect, so, you must prioritise your needs and then agree on the best alternative after considering all its aspects.
Advantages:
- Improves aesthetics of teeth: Veneers can help in resolving most of the cosmetic dental problems. They improve the general appearance of your smile in a natural way.
- Strengthens your natural teeth: Unlike crowns, which cover the surface of your teeth superficially, veneers are firmly bonded to your teeth. In this way, Veneers give your brittle and weak teeth a new sense of strength. It also helps in improving the appearance as well as the function of the teeth.
- Highly Durable: Veneers are highly durable and last for 7-10 years without requiring much maintenance. You have to clean them just like your other teeth as a part of your daily oral routine.
- Stain-resistant: They won’t catch any stain, even in the long term. Being made of porcelain, they will stay like new for several years.
- Easily adaptable: Porcelain is a material which can be easily adapted by your mouth. This high adaptability makes veneers highly compatible with your gum tissue.
Disadvantages:
- Irreversible: Once fixed to your teeth, veneers can not be taken out voluntarily. Also, your tooth is etched before bonding a veneer, even if you try to remove them, the underlying tooth will not be able to perform its functions with efficiency.
- Induces sensitivity: Your natural teeth may become prone to sensitivity after getting veneers.
- Mismatched colour: The colour of veneer may not be the same as that of your teeth. This will highlight them more instead of camouflaging. If you need to get your teeth whitened, you must remember that veneers cannot be whitened and will lead to colour dissociation.
- Expensive: Veneers are slightly expensive as compared to their counterpart cosmetic treatments.
- Selectivity: Everyone is not eligible for veneers. Certain criteria have to be met to be able to get veneers.
Veneers are an excellent choice for dental anomalies and can completely transform your smile and heighten your composure. You should consult your dentist before deciding on getting veneers.
