Having perfect white teeth is the dream of everyone. Just like the celebrities you admire on TV are not born with perfect teeth, but their sparkling smiles are often due to veneers. You may want to have perfect teeth like them but veneers are not for everyone.
Veneers are thin pieces of porcelain attached at the front of your teeth in order to improve your appearance. Depending on the material used for molding the veneer, it can change the size, color, and the shape of your tooth.
Let’s look at the pros and cons of using veneers.
Pros:
1. Boost confidence: Veneers helps you have confidence and a flawless smile. They are molded to imitate your natural tooth thus it is difficult to tell the difference between your natural tooth and the veneer.
2. No shaping or drilling: Veneers doesn’t require drilling or shaping of the teeth, it is bonded to your teeth in the form it is.
3. Custom made: Veneers can be customized to fit the size and color of your natural teeth. It is applied on existing teeth using ultraviolet light and special cement. Veneers made of composite material can fill out gaps in the teeth or address minor chips.
4. Little maintenance: After fixing the veneer, you only brush your teeth as you would normally.
5. Brighten discolored teeth: Veneers helps fill discolored teeth from the root canals. This makes your teeth look bright white or have a shade similar to your natural teeth color.
6. Correct irregular shaped teeth: Veneers can fill chipped or broken teeth and teeth with gaps between them.
7. Strong teeth: Veneers makes your teeth more strong making them ideal for strengthening your teeth.
8. Variety of designs: When choosing veneers, you should look for a design that fits your personality and face so as to have a more natural look. There are a variety of designs you can choose from.
9. Lengthen short teeth: A thin layer of porcelain material can be used to lengthen your short teeth. It can be placed at the front and edge of the teeth to make your teeth look more beautiful and improve your smile.
10. Long-lasting: Veneers are long-lasting and can take 15-20 years before replacing them.
Cons:
1. No color change: Veneers do not change their color whereas your natural teeth change color with time creating an awkward difference when you smile.
2. Regular visits to the dentist: If you want to maintain the same color of your natural teeth with that of veneers as you age, you have to maintain regular visits to the dentist so as to maintain a consistent smile.
3. Teeth decay: Your teeth will still decay even if you have veneer fixed on them. If you have a weak enamel or gum disease, you should not use veneer. Your dentist should consider using other options to deal with missing or broken tooth problems.
4. Cracking: Veneers made of porcelain material are prone to chipping and cracking. If you like biting your nails or grinding your teeth, then veneers are not suitable for you.
5. Irreversible: Veneers are irreversible once molded, therefore, you should be careful when deciding on using veneers for a perfect smile.
6. Costly: Veneers are expensive and a permanent option. A single veneer can cost you between $ 1000 and $1500 multiplied by the number of teeth you need to veneer.
7. Artificial: Although veneer may look more realistic, it is still an artificial tooth if you’re looking for a more natural means to solve your teeth problems.
8. Teeth sensitivity: Removal of enamel from the teeth result in teeth sensitivity to hot and cold foods or beverages.
9. Not repairable: If veneer chips or cracks, it can’t be repaired.
10. Fall off: Although on rare occasion, veneers can dislodge and fall off. Therefore, avoid biting nails or hard objects.
