If your smile bas become stained, crooked, damaged, chipped or you have gaps in your teeth, then dental veneers are probably the best option for you. Age and other lifestyle factors can have a damaging effect on the way our smiles look, so it can be a good idea to get a helping hand from your cosmetic dentist.

What are they?

Veneers are very small pieces of material coloured to look like your other teeth, which are cemented to the front of the tooth you have issues with. This results in a much better looking smile to brighten your day. There are two different types of veneers, which are porcelain and composite. The better and more popular option of the two amongst patients is the porcelain veneers; this is down to them being stronger and lasting longer than composite ones.

Porcelain veneers are also designed to give a more natural look to your newly formed smile, as well as being much harder to stain than composite veneers. They also last between 5 and 10 years as long you look after them, whereas composite can last up to two years at most.

What does the treatment involve?

The procedure for the treatment is very simple. It starts with a consultation where the dentist will see if you are suitable for veneers and they will then explain the procedure to you. During the procedure a small piece of the surface of the existing tooth will be removed before the veneer is shaped and sculpted onto the tooth. Anything left over from the procedure will be polished off leaving you with a fresh new smile.

The modern world of dentistry has advanced hugely over the last few years, and cosmetic dentistry is now widely available. And it’s not only the privileged and rich and famous who are able to access world class profession treatment from cosmetic dental surgeries. Many treatments are very quick (sometimes being done in just one short visit!) and painless, some even pleasurable, or as good as, such as some teeth whitening treatments that give you a film to watch while your teeth are whitened!

Porcelain Veneers

Often described as the ‘ultimate smile makeover’, porcelain veneers can quickly and easily transform your smile. The process is rather simple, damaged or discoloured teeth able to be covered by thin shells coloured to the shade desired. The shells are also very resistant to further staining. Because of the dramatic difference porcelain veneers can make with relatively little effort, they have become very popular and should be seriously considered by anyone wanting a brand new shiny smile.

Teeth Whitening

There are now a number of ways to whiten your teeth. Laser whitening has proved popular because of the speed at which a noticeable change occurs and the small amount of time it takes. This speed has also been seen as a negative by some however, who say the noticeable difference make it too obvious to others that you have had your teeth whitened.

Home whitening kits have also become widely known. The long lasting and effective results make it a viable option, especially as the results are gradual and not as instantly noticeable. It is strongly recommended that you buy from your dentist, as home kits bought from the internet and other places outside your local dental surgery can be dangerous because of the concentration levels of the bleach.

These are just some examples of how to give yourself a smile makeover, but there are many other ways, such as realignment treatments without ugly braces like Invisalign braces and minor tooth damage repairs with dental bonding.

Are porcelain veneers for me?

This practice is popular with people the world over.  Celebrities such as Simon Cowell and Katie Price have opted for porcelain veneers, and its showbiz following has increased the popularity for porcelain veneers – coming highly recommended by many a cosmetic dentist.  Veneers offer many advantages, such as providing a natural tooth appearance, resistant to stains, and can offer a liberal approach when it comes to changing a tooth’s shape and colour.  Compared to other treatments where extensive shaping is required prior to the procedure, porcelain veneers are a very straightforward process.

The problems porcelain veneers can fix

Routinely used to fix discoloured teeth, not only is this a cosmetic benefit, it is also good for your health.  Stains from tetracycline or other drugs and resin fillings –porcelain veneers can help disguise these stains to give the impression of whiter teeth.  Other problems that porcelain veneers can rectify include teeth that are worn down, chipped, misaligned, or have gaps between them.

The procedure and its outcome

When going for porcelain veneers, it usually entails three trips to the dentist.  The first for a consultation, and the next two to create and apply the veneers.  After a consultation with your dentist to prepare yourself for what to expect, you’ll have an X-ray and undergo relevant preparation – such as having ½ mm of enamel removed, have impressions of your teeth made, then proceed with the last stage; bonding.  Special glue will cement the veneer to your teeth, which will then harden due to a beam – and finally, any excess cement will be removed and your teeth evaluated.  Generally lasting between 5 and 10 years, it is a treatment worth investing in – financially and orally.

If anything this demonstrates the vulnerability of patients to unscrupulous practises by those who owe them a duty of care, but cases of such malpractice are incredibly rare and are barely ever seen in the world of cosmetic dentistry. It is, however, important to always secure quality, independent references vouching when choosing a clinic for any elective procedure, such as porcelain veneers or teeth whitening.

Of course, in some countries, black market cosmetic procedures are knowingly embarked upon by patients. Take the case of “The Silicons”, a gang from, Venezuela, recently jailed for performing hundreds of cosmetic surgical procedures with little or no formal medical training. Scary stuff, but fortunately unlikely to happen to Harley Street!

The easiest way to think of dental veneers is in the same way as false finger nails. Veneers are bonded to the front of the teeth in a quick and painless way leaving you with a perfect and dazzling smile.

You should consider dental veneers if you have damaged or chipped teeth; stained teeth from food, wine, coffee and smoking; crooked teeth, for teeth that are not overly crooked; also for spaces and gaps between your teeth, dental veneers can correct all of these problems.

There are two materials that are used to make dental veneers, a composite material and porcelain. Porcelain veneers are by far the more popular option as they are much stronger, they do not stain as easily, are much more natural looking and they will last much longer. Porcelain dental veneers can last up to five or ten years whereas composite veneers will last for a year or two at most. Of course to make your veneers last as long as possible it is important to follow a good oral hygiene routine and to visit your dentist at least every 6 months.

However, the problem seems to be that people aren’t teaching their children how to care for their teeth. How to brush properly is a very important skill that needs to be taught at an early age and the introduction of other oral hygiene techniques such as flossing and using mouthwash should be explained to children as soon as possible too.

Many problems can arise in later life as a result of not properly looking after your teeth as a child, and not all of them will be purely cosmetic. It’s certainly true that many oral problems can be tackled with cosmetic dentistry. For example, discolour teeth can be whitened using porcelain veneers. But, you must remember that cosmetic dentistry is just that, cosmetic. So, there are many serious oral problems that can arise from not taking proper care of your teeth as a child that cannot be fixed by a cosmetic dentist!

It’s best to ensure that your children know how to take care of their teeth and ensure that they also do if you want them to avoid serious dental problems in later life.

Now there is nothing wrong with shopping around for a bargain, but it is far more important to shop around for a clinic renowned for the quality of its work than one offering the lowest price. Porcelain veneers, for example, can be expensive, but poorly fitted or sized veneers aren’t worth even the reduced price you will pay for them at a cowboy clinic, and if the paring down process prior to fitting is done incorrectly, you may eventually be paying out thousands of pounds for root canal surgery to repair the damaged teeth as a result. Add to this financial cost the intense misery that weeks of sensitive teeth and a sore jaw can bring and you could be looking at one of the most miserable mistakes of your life.

There is no reason to be worried about electing for a cosmetic dental treatment providing you do your homework first. When selecting a cosmetic dentist, make sure they come highly recommended within the industry, not just with a couple of celebrity endorsements, and speak to as many clinics as you can before deciding. Stay vigilant and you will be fine.

The good news for these drill-phobes is that there is rapid progress being made in the field of plasma cavity treatment, meaning no need for the always uncomfortable, often painful, drilling required before a filling. The way this new technique works is to blast the affected tooth with a stream of cold plasma, which is simply a bunch of atoms which have been ionised (stripped of one or more of their elections to give them a charge). This plasma kills the bacteria in the cavity, leaving it ready for filling, and the patient doesn’t feel a thing!

Removing the drilling element from dental work will be a boon for many potential patients, and it may open their minds to a range of other beneficial dental procedures, such as using dental veneers to cover crooked teeth and close gaps. The most common type used are porcelain veneers and, following a small amount of preparation, are simply “cemented” over the top of existing teeth to form a new, perfect, hardwearing smile over the old one. Regardless of whether less drilling really will increase enthusiasm for cosmetic procedures, this is one medical advance which is sure to improve overall dental health in every community.

 
Before                             After

This can be a stumbling block for some as they feel slightly embarrassed by seeking professional cosmetic help, and they automatically assume that it will be incredibly expensive. This is not necessarily true as with continuing advances in the field of smile makeovers, the cost of treatments is coming down all of the time. Many clinics also offer very sensible credit plans to help spread the cost of treatments.

Many cosmetic dentists offer free consultations where they can examine your current bite, teeth alignment and what you want your smile to look like, and advise on exactly what course of treatment they think in required to get there. One method of smile makeover which is becoming more and more common is using porcelain veneers. This method involves using a series of tooth shaped porcelain “shields” to essentially build a new smile over your old one, filling in any existing gaps and providing a bright, straight smile. Porcelain veneers aren’t suitable for everyone however, and some people may require additional orthodontic work to prepare their bite first. That said, if you are unsatisfied with your smile then you’ll never know what is possible until you speak to a cosmetic dentist, so why wait?

The most common way of turning crooked or uneven teeth in to that classic Hollywood smile is with the use of dental veneers. These are essentially little shields of material attached to the front of the tooth with a type of dental cement, and can be made from a variety of materials, yet the most common are porcelain veneers. They do not “fix” damaged or misaligned teeth, but they allow your dentist to build a new, straighter, brighter smile on top of your existing one.

Veneers can cover up teeth that are chipped or discoloured, and can also be used to close prominent gaps between existing teeth. They are not a be all and end all in regards to a perfect smile though, as severely crooked teeth will need to be moved using more traditional orthodontic methods first.

The first step towards deciding if veneers are suitable for you is to speak to a good cosmetic dentist. They will be able to take a detailed look at your mouth and tell you exactly whether they think veneers can help and if any additional dental work is needed first. After this meeting you will be armed with all the facts and costs and be able to make an informed decision over how you wish to proceed.