Noncosmetic Reasons to Consider Veneers

Dental veneers are perhaps best known for their Hollywood glamor role, the first stop on the fabled path toward movie stardom. Veneers are the quick path to a brighter-than-white smile. 

However, the smile magic doesn’t end with brightness. Though best known for their cosmetic attributes, veneers are a versatile platform that can treat many non-cosmetic problems related to your teeth. 

The team at Redmond Smiles Family & Implant Dentistry in Bellevue and Redmond, Washington, offers custom veneer services to their patients, regardless of the smile upgrades they’re after. Let’s take a look at some of the non-cosmetic reasons to consider veneers so you fully understand the capabilities of this smile enhancement technique. 

Veneer basics

Veneers are a single-surface tooth restoration technique. While a veneer could improve any single tooth, it’s common to choose six or more veneers to achieve a uniform final appearance. 

Conventional veneers are a permanent process. For the most natural appearance, the surface enamel of your natural tooth must be prepared for a good bonding surface. 

The typical lifespan of veneers is about 15 years, and the enamel preparation means you’ll need to replace veneers at some point in the future. 

Non-cosmetic reasons to consider veneers

For whitening your teeth beyond the limits created by your natural tooth color, veneers provide the best option. As well as tooth color, though, veneers have applications that aren’t primarily focused on tooth appearance. 

Damaged or weak enamel

Tooth enamel is a hard substance, but it’s also still subject to wear from natural acids in food and drink, grinding of the teeth (bruxism), or even from excessive or forceful brushing. Enamel won’t grow back, so that veneers can reinforce compromised teeth. 

Chips and cracks

The best replacement for a natural tooth is no replacement at all, and veneers can help you keep natural teeth that have been subject to damage, like chipping or cracking. In this case, veneers reinforce a tooth that’s weakened but still remains viable. 

Misalignment

Moderate and severe teeth alignment issues typically require orthodontics, but not everyone needs major work to address minor gaps, rotations, or bite problems. Instead, veneer overlays can compensate for these issues. 

Tooth sensitivity

Despite its solid appearance, tooth enamel is porous, and as it wears, you may become sensitive to food temperatures, sweetness, or acidity if these effects reach the dentin layer inside your teeth. Tooth sensitivity pain feels sharp and electric. Veneers add a protective layer, preventing these triggers from causing pain disturbances. 

Veneers can also correct cosmetic issues other than whiteness, things like tooth shape or tooth/gum proportions. 

Find out more by discussing dental veneers with the team at Redmond Smiles Family & Implant Dentistry. Call or click to book with our nearest office today.