Veneers

A veneer is an extremely natural looking dental restoration that covers the outside or visible surface of teeth. It is cemented into place and cannot be taken off.

Veneers are made of very thin tooth-colored porcelain

Veneers restore teeth to their ideal size, shape and color.

In having a veneer, some inherent risks exist both to the tooth and to the veneer itself. The risks to the tooth are:

– Preparation for an veneer permanently alters the tooth underneath the veneer

– If the cement seal at the edge of the veneer is lost, decay may form at the juncture of the veneer and tooth

– Preparing for and placing a veneer can irritate the tooth and cause “post-operative” sensitivity which may last for up to 3 months

– Teeth which have had veneers may need root canal treatment less than 1% of the time during the lifetime of the tooth

The risks to the veneer are:

– Porcelain may chip over time

– If the tooth needs a root canal after the veneer is permanently cemented, the procedure may fracture the veneer and the veneer may need to be replaced

Alternatives to placing a veneer are to either leave the tooth as is or to place a composite restoration. Composite restorations remove decay and may restore teeth to their original form but are limited because they do not improve the aesthetics of teeth as well a veneer

Excessive bite forces may lead to the veneer chipping or breaking

Porcelain on a veneer may have a good color match with adjacent natural teeth when the veneer is placed but less of a match as your natural teeth age. A veneer may chip or break if used for abnormal activities (e.g. biting fishing line, sewing thread, biting finger nails, opening bottles)