The choice of dental veneers over some of the other cosmetic dental procedures is reached for a number of reasons. First, however, a patient has to decide that they want to improve their smile. As it so happens, there is not much we cannot fix esthetically in your mouth today. With the rapid advancements in technology, we have the tools at our disposal to fix any nature of unsightly problems that range from teeth that are crooked and misaligned to teeth that are badly stained and simply need new life through whitening. Our patients typically chose dental veneers to cover up badly stained teeth or to replace missing enamel. As such, the most common reason for choosing veneers is still the fact that people want to have the brightest and whitest smile they possibly can. If you decide that you want to use veneers to have permanently whiter teeth, you will need to make the next important decision.
Dental veneers are virtually a permanent solution. This immediately poses a question - what color do you want your teeth to be for the next several decades? Most of us do not ever get to choose the natural color of our teeth which makes this decision slightly more challenging than it sounds. A few years ago patients were limited to a palette of 16 colors and you would have to pick a shade that was the closest match to your unaffected teeth. As you can imagine, this was not a very exciting prospect. After all, when you want your smile to be brighter and whiter, there is literally no fun in picking a shade that looks exactly like your old teeth. With advancements in technology, we now can do things like bleach your teeth before picking the shade so that all of your teeth, including your veneers, will be bright and white. Essentially you have more choices now.
While color is important, there is another factor to consider when you are getting dental veneers. This is the opacity or the translucency of the veneers that are placed over your teeth. Teeth are not solid. One of the most beautiful elements of natural teeth is the way that they allow natural light to pass through them. This gives the effect of a lighted smile and is something we will want to mimic very closely with your veneers. Having a solid block of veneers, that completely shields the light will cause your teeth to look plastic and fake. Instead, we will work with the translucency to ensure that the right amount of light passes through the veneer so that you have a radiant smile. As you are selecting the color and transparency of your veneers, you should keep in mind that they will not age or stain like natural teeth. Whatever you chose today is what you will have for years to come.
While color is important, there is another factor to consider when you are getting dental veneers. This is the opacity or the translucency of the veneers that are placed over your teeth. Teeth are not solid. One of the most beautiful elements of natural teeth is the way that they allow natural light to pass through them. This gives the effect of a lighted smile and is something we will want to mimic very closely with your veneers. Having a solid block of veneers, that completely shields the light will cause your teeth to look plastic and fake. Instead, we will work with the translucency to ensure that the right amount of light passes through the veneer so that you have a radiant smile. As you are selecting the color and transparency of your veneers, you should keep in mind that they will not age or stain like natural teeth. Whatever you chose today is what you will have for years to come.
When using dental veneers to improve your smile, we can also address things like gaps, crooked teeth, damaged teeth, a loss of enamel and dark stains. Once done, this solution will ensure that your teeth are bright, white, and beautiful.
