Everything You Need To Know Before Getting Veneers

Getting veneers sounds exciting, but it isn’t all bright and gleaming. There are certain factors one should be aware about before getting veneers. Luckily, one of our dentist followers, Rabia Samad, has given us all her advice on the topic. Scroll down to read what she has to say:

Veneers are the dental equivalent of cosmetic fillers. They are notoriously popular, but there’s still a lot of questions around them. Don’t worry though – this article is aimed at giving you the necessary information needed so you can make an informed decision when considering to get Veneers.

What Are Veneers?

A veneer is basically, a thin material that’s acts as a tooth “cover” to enhance aesthetics and give you an almost perfect looking smile. For years, veneers have helped restore confidence in people with naturally deformed teeth for e.g. in patients with Amelogenesis Imperfecta or Tetracycline staining. These are conditions in which the teeth have rigid stains and imperfections that can’t be fixed through other dental procedures. Not only that, but veneers have also been used to fix smiles that have been damaged through injuries. Luckily, some of us got away with not having our teeth chipped off as children.
Veneers can either be composite resin bonded or porcelain based. The latter provides more stain resistance, is more natural-looking and has better tissue tolerance. They also don’t need as much preparation as crowns do. You’ll need to consult your Dentist on what’s best for you though!
The process of getting veneers is pretty straightforward and there’s nothing to worry about. You’ll most likely have to get your teeth examined and get a few x-rays/impressions taken. These steps will be followed by preparation, which involves trimming the enamel surface just enough to place the veneer on your tooth, and cementing it in place.

Things To Consider Before Getting Veneers

• The cost. Veneers are great, but only if you can afford them and maintain them. It can cost up to 25k PKR to 30K PKR per tooth. This involves all the steps needed to place a veneer like tooth preparation and bonding. You’ll probably need to get them for your 6 front teeth.
• This is an irreversible process and involves some enamel removal. That’ll mean you’re likely to experience lots of sensitivity to hot and cold foods, as well as drinks.
• You need to be extra careful to not bite too hard with your anterior teeth as it may lead to dislodging. This also includes not biting on your nails, pencils or ice with your veneers.
• This restoration isn’t suitable for people with bruxism or high stress. Grinding and clenching your teeth will chip those brand-new pearly whites. It also will not work out great for people with recurrent gum disease as your oral hygiene needs to be immaculate for the health and longevity of your veneers.
• Veneers last anywhere between 7-14 years, after which they need to be replaced.

Veneers can be a type of investment for you if you’re in a profession that pays really well, but also requires you to be in your best form for e.g. something that involves public speaking or if you’re in any kind of performing arts.
You can also have good teeth by being thorough with your oral hygiene practices, and can even get bleaching done (if there’s staining present) before you jump on to the veneer bandwagon. All that glitters (gleams, in this case) is definitely not gold (or in this case, veneers)!