Pros and Cons of Veneers in Minnetonka, MN

Do the small stains, chips, or cracks on your front teeth bother you? Maybe your dentist has recommended you get veneers. When aesthetic dental imperfections have caused you concern and even affected your emotional and physical health, porcelain veneers are a simple and effective cosmetic treatment that we use to correct a variety of dental problems. Read on to determine if dental veneers might be a good fit for you.

What are veneers?

Veneers are ultra-thin porcelain shells that we bond to the front of your teeth to improve your smile.

Veneers Teeth Pros and Cons

The biggest benefit that veneers offer is the way in which they fix small cosmetic issues, such as covering a crack, stain, chip, or gap. If your tooth is severely decayed, a veneer may be too thin to do the trick, and we may suggest you get a crown instead. Crowns strengthen fragile and extremely damaged teeth. However, if your tooth is strong and your problem is small, veneers are an excellent, easy fix.

The minimally invasive nature of bonding veneers to your front teeth is another advantage of getting veneers. This means you probably won’t need even a local anesthetic when we remove the enamel from your teeth. And we only remove a small amount of enamel, so no need to worry. Other more intensive dental procedures, such as crowns, require the removal of much more.

Porcelain Veneers Process

You’ll need to schedule two trips to our office to have your new veneers placed.

First, we’ve got to make room on your teeth for the new veneers, so we file a thin layer off the front of them. Then, we take quick and easy digital impressions of your teeth with our Carestream intraoral scanner and send them to the lab. For the week during which the lab fabricates your customized veneers, we bond temporary veneers to your teeth.

At your second visit, we make sure your new veneers match the color of your natural enamel, and then we bond them to your teeth. Our goal is to ensure you leave our office feeling fantastic about your new, natural smile.

Veneer Alternatives

If you’re looking to restore your smile by covering chips, cracks, or discoloration of your teeth, there are several alternative to veneers, and it’s important to choose the option that would be the best solution to your dental problem.

Veneers are permanent which is seen as a benefit to many, but if you’d like a more temporary option, we offer teeth whitening, one of our most affordable cosmetic procedures, for those who would like a brighter, whiter smile.

Like veneers, bonding repairs cracks and chips in teeth, but rather than a porcelain shell, bonding is a resin similar to the materials used to fill cavities. We file down and shape the bonding adhesive to smooth the surface of a tooth.

Crowns are the preferred option when your dental need it not only cosmetic but restorative as well. A bit more invasive than veneers, crowns provide support, structure, and prevention against decay.

Long Term Effects Veneers

The long-term side effects of veneers are minimal. Enamel removal, which is the first step in placing veneers, is irreversible, so it’s crucial to maintain oral hygiene habits to prevent decay, the number one job of enamel. Also, it’s rare for our patients to experience tooth sensitivity after having veneers placed, but if you do, rest assured it typically goes away after about a week.

Veneer Upkeep

To keep your veneers looking their best, treat them like you treat your other teeth, brushing twice and flossing once daily. Avoid eating staining foods and drinks, such as coffee, and biting on hard things, like ice. The good news is veneers are non-porous, so they tend to be more stain resistant than natural enamel. Finally, schedule regular cleanings and checkups to keep your veneers pearly white for years!

Ready to get started?

Call our office and schedule a consultation with us today!