Dazzlingly beautiful smiles rarely (if ever) happen on their own. Most of us need a little help to correct cosmetic flaws so our smiles look their confident best. For many people — including plenty of celebrities — that help comes in the form of veneers, which are super-thin shells that cover the front surfaces of teeth.
At Novi Family Dentistry in Novi, Michigan, Abir Faraj, DDS, helps patients get the smiles of their dreams with state-of-the-art veneers, which are shaped and tinted so they look perfectly natural. Although Dr. Faraj uses veneers to fix lots of cosmetic issues, these restorations aren’t a good choice for everyone. Here’s how to tell if they might work for you.
Veneers are extremely versatile, which is one reason why they’re one of the most popular cosmetic dentistry treatments. At our practice, we use veneers to treat many cosmetic concerns, such as:
Depending on your goals, you can choose a single veneer or multiple veneers to address your concerns.
The best candidates are women and men who have one or more of the cosmetic issues in the list above. But there are some other factors that should be considered, too.
The tooth that’s receiving the veneer has to be healthy. Having a filling is OK, but you shouldn’t have any active decay, infections, or gum problems. Having these issues doesn’t mean you can’t have a veneer, it just means Dr. Faraj will need to treat those problems before your veneer is placed.
Dr. Faraj needs to remove a tiny amount of tooth enamel in order for the veneer to be properly placed. If you don’t have sufficient enamel, a veneer might not be the best option for restoring your smile.
You should be committed to good oral hygiene practices to maintain your veneer. That includes regular brushing and flossing and routine dental checkups. You should also avoid biting on hard objects, such as pencils, ice, or your fingernails, to avoid chipping or breaking the veneer.
Ideally, you shouldn’t have a grinding or clenching problem. Grinding and clenching put a lot of stress on veneers (and teeth, too), which means your veneer might not last as long as it should. If you grind your teeth, Dr. Faraj can craft a night guard to protect your teeth and prevent damage.
Most veneers are applied in just two office visits. At the first visit, Dr. Faraj prepares your tooth, which involves removing a very small amount of enamel to make room for your veneer. Next, she takes an impression of your tooth, then places a temporary veneer on your tooth to protect it.
The second visit happens once your permanent veneer is ready — a process that typically takes a couple weeks. During this visit, Dr. Faraj removes the temporary veneer, cleans the tooth surface, and then applies the permanent veneer using a strong adhesive, adjusting it for a perfect fit.
Bonus tip: Many people opt to have a teeth whitening treatment prior to getting their teeth prepared for veneers. Why? Because veneers are tinted to match the surrounding teeth. So by matching the tint to your newly whitened teeth, your veneers will match your teeth when they look their best. Whitening solutions don’t penetrate veneers, so if you choose to have a whitening after receiving veneers, your veneers might not match your other teeth.
Veneers can dramatically improve your smile — and your confidence. To learn more about veneers, call 248-418-4542 or book an appointment online with Novi Family Dentistry today.
