When you’re thinking about talking with your dentist about porcelain veneers there are a few things that you’re going to want to keep in mind. Veneers are a great way to cover severe discoloration or to cover damage to your teeth, but they are a more involved process than bonding or simple whitening.

First, while porcelain veneers are a great opportunity to get the whiter smile that you have always wanted, you’ll find that there’s a time commitment: in order to get porcelain veneers, you’ll need to make multiple visits to the dentist, one to talk over your options and make a plan, the next to prepare your teeth and create a mold and finally to have the veneers applied.

During the course of getting porcelain veneers, you’ll find that it’s up to you to help choose the right coloring for your teeth - you’ll have a say in what will give you a smile that’s bright and white but that still looks natural.

Veneers can last for many years, and serves to do more than simply change the color of your teeth: veneers create a lasting, natural impression.

There are going to be times when your dentist recommends veneers; but unless you are getting multiple veneers across all of your front teeth, you’ll want to be sure that your dentist and his or her staff have a strong sense of the importance of color matching.

This is particularly important if the work that you’re having done involves your dentist suggesting a veneer on one front tooth and not on the tooth next to it - and is especially true if the veneer is being used to mask dark discoloration from nerve damage that cannot simply be bleached away.

The goal of veneers is to create a natural look - that’s why they are often used when a patient is looking for a whiter brighter smile and bleaching does not seem to be the best options. However, in order to keep the look natural, the veneer cannot be made to be too white - especially so much so that it stands out from all of the other teeth near it.

That’s why it’s important to seek out dentists who understand and have training in cosmetic dentistry; cosmetic work is about far more than just making sure that patients look their best, it’s about the art of creating a healthy smile.

Porcelain veneers are effective for whitening teeth and creating a brighter smile - but that’s not the only benefit.

When you talk with your dentist about veneers, you’re likely to find that you’re able to start with the smile that you have and to work towards the smile that you want to have.

Bonding and veneers can be used to close small gaps between your teeth while retaining a natural tooth shape (and color). Veneers can be used - similarly - to reshape a tooth that’s been chipped.

With reshaping and filling gaps, veneers can give you a straighter smile - without a need for braces or other orthodontic tools that take more time to work.

And, as an added benefit, veneers resists staining: that’s right not only will you have a brighter smile now, but it will last even if you keep drinking coffee or red wine.

Plenty of people have minor dental issues that veneers could repair, but because they don’t know much about veneers, they’re unaware of it.

What issues can be resolved with veneers? Here’s a brief list:

• Discoloration that either has not responded to a tooth whitening procedure or that is present along with other issues
• Small gaps between the teeth that leave a patient dissatisfied with his or her smile
• The enamel of a tooth is cracked of there’s a small chip in the tooth
• Teeth of different sizes - as long as the difference is slight
• Crookedness - teeth that are only slightly out of alignment

Veneers are made with a dental porcelain that is customized to match the color of your teeth and in every case where they are used, the veneer is customized to the patients’ teeth. In other words, if your dentist is talking with you about the possibility of using veneers to correct a situation, keep in mind that he or she wants to resolve an issue that is going on. In some cases, he or she will be responding to a cosmetic concern, in others it will be a dental health issue.

Listen to the advice, ask the questions that you have and know that, ultimately, veneers will not be suggested for you if they are not an appropriate course of action for your needs.

Dental veneers: not everyone knows a whole lot about them, and that makes it so that some of those people who could benefit from veneers aren’t getting them.

Who should be sure that they know about veneers? This is what an article in Forbes Magazine has to say: “People unhappy with crooked, chipped or discolored teeth, as well as gaps, are good candidates for veneers. In most cases, teeth are initially filed down to make room for the application of a thin shell of porcelain. Painless, no-prep veneers also are available. Dentists then work closely with patients to pick veneers that are appropriate in size and shade for their smiles.”

In other words, if you’re unhappy with the way that your teeth look - if you have gaps between your teeth or one or more of your teeth are chipped - veneers can be used to change the appearance of your teeth. More importantly, when your dentist works with you to provide veneers, you’ll find that he or she can match the color and size so that your smile continues to look healthy and natural.

If you’re looking to make some improvements to your smile, why not set up an appointment to talk with your dentist about veneers? You just might find that the solution that you’ve been looking for is right there waiting for you.

When you decide that you want to have a brighter smile, you’re looking to align your teeth to have a more even smile, or you’re just looking for a way to improve the way that others see your smile, there are different options that you will want to explore.

Your first option is going to be tooth whitening if the changes that you need are minor. Another option - if you have crowding or the alignment of your teeth is otherwise off - is going to be orthodontics. Finally, in some cases, you might find that veneers are the best option for your needs.

With a veneer, a thin layer of porcelain is fitted to your teeth. It can be shaded to match your teeth or veneers can be used along with whitening to brighten your smile. Much like the way false fingernails are applied, veneers are applied over the surface of the teeth.

Though it seems like a relatively simple process, it still may not be the right option for everyone. That’s why it’s important to sit down and talk with your dentist about what you’re trying to correct and what the best way of getting it accomplished is going to be.

Your dentist will be the one who can tell you whether veneers will solve your alignment issue or if orthodontics will be necessary. Your dentist can also fully explain the process if veneers are indeed right for you.

Dental veneers have their place in both restorative and cosmetic dentistry, but that doesn’t mean that everyone really knows what they are and what they are used for: points that can answer the questions “why do patients choose veneers?”

The basic answer is that dental veneers start out with a ceramic material that looks like a real tooth and are applied to present a more natural look for those who have had dental work done.

Veneers are used to cover natural wear and tear - to fix chips or cracks or uneven teeth. They’re also used to cover spots of worn enamel or to even out the teeth - to repair damage from grinding.

For the most part, those uses fall into both restorative and cosmetic dentistry, and so does the fourth common use of veneers - evening out abnormal spacing between the teeth.

As an added benefit, many dental patients find that veneers are less expensive that other procedures or solutions - making them win-win.

There is little wonder why so many people are becoming interested in veneers. They are a great way to improve a number of superficial problems that occur with teeth as a result of age, use or in some cases that have been a lifelong source of complaint. Veneers are a kind of cap for the front teeth, to give them a straight, white, uniform appearance. The dental procedure for fitting veneers is painless and requires only that the dentist remove a small amount of enamel. It is a procedure that we are happy to offer in our Twin Cities dental practice, Wayzata Dental. The following list shows the cosmetic problems that veneers can correct.

• Misshapen front teeth
• Misaligned front teeth
• Severe discoloration
• Chipped enamel
• Cracked enamel

While veneers will restore the whiteness of your teeth, if discoloration is your only problem, you would probably be better suited to a whitening procedure. We are happy to perform these and many other dental procedures at Wayzata Dental. If you are in the Twin Cities area and looking for a great dentistry with a high tech advantage, why not pay us a visit?

Learn More About Veneers

Pearly whites that are not so white, damaged or misshapen teeth, chipped teeth, missing teeth, these are not problems that you have to live with. Cosmetic dentistry can fix them and it is probably easier, less painful and less time consuming than you imagined.

One relatively minor problem that can have major consequences for our self esteem is teeth discoloration. Teeth discolor naturally with age, as a result of the food and drinks that we consume and from smoking. Whitening is a very simple cosmetic dentistry procedure that can be performed to great effect right here at Wayzata Dental. In a single sitting you can have teeth that are on average eight shades whiter, thanks to Zoom.

For bigger problems we have other solutions. If you teeth are misaligned, chipped, misshapen, crooked or very severely discolored, we are able to cover them with veneers. Veneers are custom made and custom fitted facades for your teeth. They fit like a cap and are indistinguishable from your real teeth. They require only a small amount of enamel to be removed so that they fit flush with the gum line. Fitting veneers is a cosmetic dentistry procedure that has restored confidence to countless dental patients around the world.

Dental implants can solve the problem of missing teeth. A titanium screw is implanted in the jaw and a false tooth is attached to the screw. Implants are the best way to permanently attach a false tooth. The tooth need not be removed for cleaning, you can brush it as you would your normal teeth. This is one of the more involved and costly cosmetic dentistry procedures, but the results are very impressive.

For more information about these and other cosmetic dentistry procedures, please contact us at Wayzata Dental.

If your smile is not looking all that it could be, then you might have been considering some cosmetic dentistry options. There are two cosmetic dentistry procedures that can have a dramatic effect on your smile, whitening and veneers. For obvious reasons, you would only get one or the other, but which should you choose?

Veneers will give your teeth the appearance of being both straighter and whiter. Veneers are a kind of cap that covers your front teeth. When they are attached to your teeth, a small amount of enamel is removed so that they fit flush and look more authentic. Veneers will correct the shape alignment and color of your teeth. If your teeth are misshapen, cracked or chipped in addition to being discolored, veneers would be the logical choice. Whitening can fix the color of your teeth, but will not improve their cosmetic appearance in any other ways.

You should opt for whitening if you have no significant cosmetic problems aside from the color of your teeth. Many people fall into this category. Teeth will become discolored with age regardless of your teeth maintenance routine. Whitening procedures will restore the color by bleaching the teeth. While there are some people that report acute sensitivity to cold for a few days after the procedure, whitening is a simple and painless procedure. If you have no major problems with your smile, other than the color, whitening would be the better option for you.  If you are interested in veneers or whitening, please talk to us here at Wayzata Dental, we will be happy to give you more information.