Dental veneers are a popular method of transforming your smile. With this versatile treatment option, you can enhance the appearance of a single tooth or undergo a complete smile makeover with teeth that are whiter, straighter, and overall more aesthetically pleasing. Diana Tadros, DDS – our Fort Lauderdale cosmetic dentist – offers both composite resin and porcelain veneers to help her patients achieve the dramatic smile makeovers they desire.
What Are Dental Veneers?
Veneers are thin covers that are placed over the teeth to improve their appearance. These restorations can cover issues like stains, chips, gaps, or uneven spaces. Many patients choose veneers if they’re unsatisfied with the overall shape or size of their teeth, as veneers can produce a more proportionate look.
Veneers are available in both porcelain or composite resin, and each type has their own pros and cons. Dr. Tadros will recommend which option is best for you based on your cosmetic preferences, dental health, and other factors.
What Are the Benefits of Veneers?
Dental veneers generally offer numerous benefits for patients seeking smile enhancement, including:
- Concealment of tooth chips, cracks, and stains
- Closure of gaps or spaces between the teeth
- Aesthetic improvement of mild tooth misalignment
- Lengthening of short or worn teeth
- Reshaping of the teeth for a more uniform smile
- Long-lasting, natural looking results
- Durable and comfortable smile enhancement
- A typically very quick, minimally-invasive treatment process
Smile Trial – Designing Custom Veneers
Veneers require a lot of skills and artistry from Dr. Tadros as well as from the lab and ceramist. At Beauty and the Teeth, we design your smile digitally and will have you in what we like to call a “trial smile” provisional that allows us to tweak the design before the final veneers are made. This helps to ensure that your final results are exactly what you’re looking for.
Who Is a Candidate for Veneers?
While the majority of patients can benefit from veneers, not everyone is a candidate. Before choosing veneers, your teeth and gums must be in good health. This is crucial to ensure that the teeth support the veneers over time. In addition, those who clench or grind their teeth may not be well suited to veneers, which can chip or break. Finally, you should be 100% certain that you want to choose veneers before having them placed, because the procedure requires removing a small amount of tooth enamel, making veneers permanent. For patients who have reservations about enamel removal, less invasive treatments such as teeth whitening or cosmetic dental bonding may provide good alternatives.
What Is the Procedure Like for Dental Veneers?
The veneer procedure is typically less invasive than other restorations, such as crowns or caps. That said, a few steps are usually required to complete the process.
During your initial visit, Dr. Tadros will take a digital impression and help you select a natural-looking shade that aligns with your cosmetic goals. Once you return, you will have the chance to preview and try on your smile before starting the process, and Dr. Tadros will likely remove a small amount of enamel from the front and sides of your teeth to make room for the veneers. The teeth will then be prepared for your new restorations, and you will leave with temporaries (or a “trial smile”), which will be carefully assessed and adjusted if necessary.
Once your custom porcelain or composite veneers are ready, Dr. Tadros will make final refinements and permanently bond them in place, leaving you with a beautiful, confident smile.
How Long Do Veneers Last?
When expertly applied by a skilled cosmetic dentist like Dr. Tadros, veneers can last for many years. On average, porcelain veneers last about 10 to 15 years, while composite veneers typically last five to eight years.
Our porcelain and composite veneers are crafted from durable, high-quality materials and are designed to be strong and stain-resistant. In some cases, porcelain veneers may last even longer – especially with proper care and minimal grinding or clenching. Please keep in mind that although veneers are permanently bonded to the teeth, they may eventually need replacement if they become chipped, cracked, or otherwise worn down over time.
How Do I Care for My Dental Veneers?
Veneers are designed to look and feel natural, and they can generally be cared for in the same way as regular teeth. Blushing and flossing at least twice daily and attending your regularly scheduled dental visits is typically sufficient for keeping your veneers in good condition. Dr. Tadros also recommends that patients avoid using their teeth to open packaging and to exercise caution when consuming particularly hard or pitted foods, such as nuts or cherries, to avoid accidental damage to the veneers.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Can you sleep with veneers?
Veneers are permanently attached to the teeth. This means that you can do anything you might normally do with natural teeth, including sleeping.
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Can veneers fall off?
Although veneers can fall off, this is an extremely rare occurrence. It is important to have a board-certified cosmetic dentist with advanced training plan your case and assess your bite prior to treatment to avoid these mishaps.
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Do veneers make your teeth look bigger?
Veneers can make your teeth look bigger or smaller depending on what your goals are cosmetically as well as what your bite can accommodate. At Dr. Tadros’ practice, all patients are able to preview their smile digitally prior to treatment.
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How long does it take to get veneers done?
The process of getting veneers, from your initial consultation to final placement of the veneers, typically takes about three weeks to complete. During your consultation, Dr. Tadros can explain what you can expect.
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Do you have to brush your teeth with veneers?
It is important to brush your teeth with veneers just as you would your natural teeth. You should use a non-abrasive toothpaste that does not contain ingredients (e.g., baking soda) to avoid damaging your veneers.
Schedule an Appointment for Dental Veneers
To learn whether veneers are right for you and to see how beautiful your smile can be, schedule an appointment with Dr. Tadros at Beauty and the Teeth. Call our Fort Lauderdale office or contact us online.
