Dental veneers are a thin sheet of porcelain made to look natural and bonded to the front of a tooth to conceal discoloration, minor cracks, chips, misshapen teeth, and gaps between teeth. Veneers are also able to resist decay and staining better than natural teeth because they are non-porous.
Before the dentist can apply the veneer to your teeth, they will have to shave off about one half millimeter of enamel. This is to ensure the veneer fits properly and does not look too bulky on your tooth. When given proper care, veneers can last between 10-15 years.
It is best to avoid hard and sticky foods like popcorn kernels, hard candy, apples, carrots, nuts, caramels, taffy, etc. can break down the bond between the veneer and your tooth. Also, biting down on ice can do a lot of damage to your veneers and teeth. Regardless if you have veneers or not, you should never bite down on ice.
Veneers vs Whitening
While veneers and teeth whitening are both cosmetic practices that have overlapping purposes, they still have separate uses. Teeth whitening is great at lifting stains and increasing the brightness of all your teeth at once, but if you have just one or a couple discolored teeth.
Veneers also cover more than just discolored teeth. If you chipped or cracked a tooth, then a veneer can make it look like just the rest of your teeth. However, if it is a larger chip/crack, you likely want to seek out restorative treatment to prevent any further damage or complications.
Request an Appointment
Dr. Angelina Odhiambo and her team are proud to offer veneers to help people have more confidence in their smile. If veneers are something you are interested in then give us a call today at (903) 984-1108 to schedule an appointment.