If you haven't
always maintained good oral hygiene or have suffered an injury or disease to
one of your teeth, the effects don't have to show every time you smile. To both
maintain your looks and the health of your teeth, your Dentist Everett can use
restorative materials to have you smiling like new again.
While dentures
can replace all of your teeth and crowns or bridges can replace one or several
of them, what if only part of one tooth needs to be repaired? That's where
veneers come in.
Veneers are
pieces of composite material or porcelain that are applied to the surface of a
damaged tooth to help improve its appearance, fortify it against disease or
bacteria or both. They were originally designed to be temporary and were widely
used to fix the teeth of celebrities, especially those appearing on camera, but
over the years they have developed into a long-term solution for everyday
patients.
A veneer is
built directly onto the tooth within the mouth, as it is basically a patch
covering the affected area. A veneer made up of porcelain or other similar
materials is constructed outside of the mouth by a Dental Service in Everett WA, a technician who
specializes in creating such units. It is then adhered to the tooth using a
special bonding adhesive.
Because of
improvements in bonding agents over the years, veneers today can last anywhere
between 10 and 30 years. At the end of their lifespan they may begin to crack
or chip and can leak into the damaged crevice below, which requires them to be
replaced to avoid further damage. They can also become discolored as time
passes, prompting them to stand out unnaturally from the rest of the mouth and
indicating a need for replacement. Porcelain veneers are widely cited as being
more durable over time than composite units and are also less likely to become
discolored.
A temporary,
short-term veneer is also available. They are fitted to existing compromised
teeth and are made of a flexible resin-based material. Once installed, the
individual can remove them and reuse them at will. Many of these types of fittings
can be obtained through at-home kits purchased by the individual that contain
materials for taking tooth impressions. Once the person takes impressions of
his or her own mouth, they then mail them to the company who then fabricates
the veneer and sends it back to the patient.
Veneers are a
valuable piece of dental technology that can be extremely helpful for
individuals who may not need crowns or dentures but still have dental issues
they hope to address. Cosmetic Dentistry Everett WA and other dentistry professionals can provide
the necessary information on whether or not they are an appropriate solution to
any specific situation.
