The easiest and most affordable way to transform an imperfect grin into a gleaming Hollywood smile is to have veneers placed on the front of problem teeth. These can cover cracks, chips, and gaps or change the appearance of teeth that are too small or misshapen. No one will probably know you’ve had your smile enhanced with veneers: they’ll think you’ve just been brushing with whitening toothpaste and you feel the confidence to fully smile at everyone.
On the initial visit, you will be examined to be sure your oral health is in good enough shape for veneers (underlying issues such as periodontal disease may first need to be addressed). If you grind your teeth during sleep, disclose that to your dentist so he can create a custom mouthguard to wear at night to keep them and your veneers from being damaged.
It may be recommended that you first receive a professional whitening to bring all your teeth to the same shade and prevent any dark ones from showing through the translucent veneers. A mold will be made of the teeth after they are slightly filed to ensure the veneers will adhere and to keep them from being unnaturally bulky.
On the second visit, a temporary set of veneers will be tested to see how they feel and adjustments may be made. A final decision will be made on the shade (whether to match natural teeth or upgrade the whitening of all of them) and instructions will be sent to a top dental laboratory to craft them from biocompatible dental porcelain. On the final visit, the actual veneers will be placed.
How long they will look great depends on how well you care for them. That means foremost that you be dedicated to brushing twice a day with a soft-to-medium brush for two minutes each time, while flossing once. You also need to be sure you have a dental exam twice a year and at that time also have your teeth cleaned by the dental hygienist (put this on your calendar because it is easy to forget how long it has been between visits).
Although veneers are resistant to stains, they cannot be whitened and you want to be sure that both they and your natural teeth are brushed shortly after consuming foods and drinks that can stain if left on for too long. These include coffee, tea, red wine, highly-colored foods (such as blueberries), and colored sodas. Smoking (anything) can also cause darkening.
Even more important, you need to stop bad habits that can damage veneers, such as biting nails, pens, and pencils, chewing on ice, opening bags with your teeth or using them to put on clothing.
With proper care, veneers can last 10-20 years.
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