Porcelain veneers are probably the most powerful procedure in cosmetic dentistry (with an acknowledged argument for dental implants). They can transform your entire smile, giving you a full set of beautiful teeth all at once. But what are the individual reasons why people ask for porcelain veneers? Here are the top five reasons why people request this powerful cosmetic dentistry procedure at our Wilmington, NC dental office.
1. Misshapen Teeth
Sometimes people get a tooth that is small or oddly shaped. One common cause of this is retained baby teeth, which just look too small when surrounded by full-size adult teeth. Although sometimes the roots are too small and the tooth has to be pulled and replaced with a dental implant, often the small tooth can be built up to full size with a porcelain veneer. Porcelain veneers in Wilmington, NC can also help your teeth look more symmetrical. We can make all your teeth complement each other and look the same size and shape!
2. Worn Teeth
Our teeth are remarkably resistant to fracturing and wear. Considering the thousands of times each day that your teeth come together, the slight wear they receive is truly amazing. But it may not be amazing enough for some people, especially those with bruxism — teeth clenching and grinding — who find themselves with teeth that look worn and small. With porcelain veneers, we can help rebuild your damaged teeth to look sparkly and healthy again. Porcelain veneers can hide chips, cracks, and gum recession.
Note: If you do have bruxism or TMJ, we will want to correct your bite problems to protect your veneers and prevent them from getting damaged the way your natural teeth were. We can also provide you with a night guard to protect your veneers from bruxism while you sleep too.
3. Tooth Trauma
If your tooth gets chipped or cracked, a porcelain veneer can be used to make it as good as new. Although there are other ways to repair a chipped tooth, porcelain veneers give the most attractive and longest-lasting results aside from dental crowns which are overkill in these types of situations. Considering most veneers last at least 15 years, you won’t have to worry about your tooth trauma for a long time after getting your veneers.
Note: If your tooth was cracked so severely that the structural integrity is in doubt, we will recommend a dental crown, and if the pulp inside was exposed, we will recommend a root canal procedure. Our number one goal is to ensure your teeth don’t just look amazing but are as healthy as possible.
4. Stained or Eroded Teeth
Teeth don’t just wear on the top; they can be eroded on all sides by acids in your diet or that are present in your mouth because of vomiting or reflux disease (GERD). This can make your teeth look discolored as the thin enamel begins to expose the darker dentin within. Many people become aware of this when teeth whitening stops working and their teeth stay discolored. Porcelain veneers can cover teeth that are eroded this way, giving you a smile that is not only whiter but stays white for longer as stain-resistant porcelain veneers can look attractive for a decade or more.
We also recommend porcelain veneers to patients who are tired of whitening their teeth several times per year to extend their luminescence. With porcelain veneers, you never have to worry about how drinking too much red wine will affect your smile. The porcelain is completely stain-resistant so you have nothing to worry about for years to come.
5. Smile Gaps
The most common reason why people request porcelain veneers is to close a gap in their smile. Porcelain veneers can close that gap in your smile without waiting for the time that it would take for orthodontics to move your teeth. In some cases, we might decide that orthodontics are the right choice after all, but porcelain veneers certainly offer an attractive option. If you don’t have bite problems and you don’t want to deal with the hassles of a lengthy orthodontic treatment, closing your smile gaps with porcelain veneers is the perfect alternative treatment.
Unhappy with Your Smile? Consider Porcelain Veneers in Wilmington, NC
Are you unhappy with your smile for these or any other reasons? Let us know, and we’ll evaluate your smile to determine whether porcelain veneers are right for you. Most patients are good candidates for porcelain veneers and may only require just a few to achieve their desired results. Porcelain veneers also give you instant results. You don’t have to wait around for orthodontic treatment or apply a whitening treatment to your teeth every day. Porcelain veneers are a fast and easy procedure and deliver amazing results!
Please call (910) 392-6060 or an appointment with a Wilmington, NC cosmetic dentist at Kuzma Advanced Dentistry to find out if porcelain veneers are right for you.
