Your dentist may have recently recommended you think about implanting dental veneers. This recommendation could have sprung from a variety of different reasons, such as, chipped or cracked teeth, restoration after a root canal, or maybe you are just unsatisfied with the current appearance of your teeth. Whatever the reason may be, it is always best to do your homework and make sure that dental veneers are the best option for you. Continue reading to see if you need to call your dentist to make your veneer appointment!

What are Dental Veneers?

Veneers are very thin, film-like surfaces applied to the front of a tooth. Veneers are mostly for aesthetic purposes, making the tooth they are placed on top of look healthy and well kept. They can be made of one of two different materials, porcelain or resin composite. Resin composite is much thinner and offers less of the surface of the tooth to be taken off. Porcelain is much more natural-looking and is stronger against possible stains and cracks. Taken care of well, veneers can last for many years to come.

Dental veneers are a quick, simple and effective procedure to change the appearance of your teeth for the better, but what should you expect the day of your appointment? The day off, your dentist will buff the surface of your tooth to about half a millimeter down. If you opt for resin composite, our dentist will bond and sculpt the material to your tooth and can be done in one day. If you chose porcelain, your dentist will take a mold of your teeth and send the mold off to a lab to make your custom veneers. By the next appointment, your new veneers will be cemented to your teeth using a shade that most closely matches your natural tooth color, and using a handheld UV light to harden the bond.

Pros of Dental Veneers

• Strong and durable
• Stain resistant
• Instant results
• Natural looking
• Easy to maintain

Cons of Dental Veneers

• Cost
• Increased sensitivity – Don’t worry, this isn’t an issue for everyone, it is simply a possibility as part of the procedure includes removing a layer of tooth enamel.
• Possibility of damage
• Eligibility – If you suffer from weak enamel, this may not be the best possible option for your teeth.

Fluoride is one of the best cavity fighters at a dentist’s disposal and helps to ensure your teeth stay healthy for a long time. When bacteria caused by plaque starts to break down the enamel of the teeth, fluoride can help to rebuild the enamel where it is breaking down. Through a process called remineralization, it can also repair tooth decay. Studies have shown that since fluoride was incorporated into toothpastes and mouthwashes in 1960, there has been a decline in the amount of cavities people get.

There are many ways to get more fluoride into our bodies. It is in many of the foods we eat and the beverages we drink, but there are still many people with levels of fluoride that are too low. Luckily, there are more concentrated fluoride treatments that your dentist can recommend in order to help strengthen the teeth.

Fluoride treatments are often recommended for children to help strengthen their teeth from an early age, but many adults discredit the way fluoride can help. In fact, adults need fluoride treatments even more than children since the enamel can break down easier for adults. Children have naturally higher levels of fluoride while adults do not.

There are several conditions that can benefit from additional fluoride treatments, such as:

• Molars that have large grooves and deep pits
• Those with a lot of previous dental work or a history of cavities
• Patients with gum disease and/or recessed gums
• Frequent snackers
• Chronic dry mouth

Fluoride treatments can be in the form of a gel, a foam, a liquid or a pill. It is quick and easy, and the treatment is normally done as part of your bi-annual checkup and examination. Think a fluoride treatment can help strengthen your teeth or combat one of the issues mentioned above? Give us a call to set up an appointment so we can help get your teeth as strong as possible!