Many of us have smiles that are not as perfect as we might wish. Our teeth and smiles can be marred by imperfections we were born with or that have popped up as we have led our lives.
And as science has proved, a more attractive smile can mean a happier life. Which is why unattractive teeth can be so unfortunate. Imperfect teeth can be caused by:
- Poor colour (stains or yellowing)
- Different sizes
- Different lengths
- Different shapes
- Slight misalignment
My Local Dentists West Ryde has a variety of treatments to upgrade your teeth and improve your smile. We can quickly help you overcome several aesthetic issues, which we will talk about shortly.
One of our best tools in the fight against unsightly teeth is dental veneer. Dental veneers are relatively simple to place and can create a dramatic improvement in the shape, size, form, and colour of your teeth.
If you have teeth you’d like to upgrade, read on to learn a bit more about veneers and how they affect your oral health.
What are Dental Veneers?
Simply put, dental veneers are covers for unattractive teeth, thin, backless shells of porcelain or composite material that are bonded on top of your natural teeth for two reasons — to protect the underlying tooth and to improve the aesthetics of your smile.
Dental veneers come in two forms, porcelain or composite.
Porcelain veneers are custom manufactured in a dental laboratory, by a skilled technician working with models given by your West Ryde dentist.
Porcelain veneers offer the closest approximation of the translucency and lustre of healthy natural teeth. They are also quite durable and strong.
Composite veneers are typically built up in layers, using a tooth-coloured material, while you sit in the chair.
One advantage of this is that composite veneers can be completed in one visit, while porcelain veneers usually take multiple visits.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Dental Veneers
One of the benefits of veneers is that they can help protect the underlying tooth from tooth decay. They protect teeth against the bacteria from acids, that causes holes in teeth.
In our patients, we often see a re-invigorated commitment to oral hygiene as our patients take care of their new, impressive smiles.
However, while veneers can help protect against cavities, they can also make them more likely.
There are several ways teeth covered by veneers can suffer from cavities:
- Poorly installed veneers can have a bad fit over the tooth, leaving it vulnerable to decay, as the protective enamel has been.
- A patient may have dry mouth, or they may have a damaged immune system, which can lead to inflammation and infection in the mouth, which creates a hospitable environment for decay.
- Patients with unhealthy teeth (decay or active gum disease) or weakened teeth (from decay, fractures, or extensive dental fillings), or patients without an inadequate amount of enamel on the tooth surface, are more prone to see decay.
As you might guess, the best way to avoid decay in a veneer-covered tooth is an excellent personal oral health regimen, seeing your dentist regularly, and complying with all post-treatment suggestions provided by your dental office.
If you do get a cavity in a tooth with a veneer, it is usually simple to fix, particularly if the problem is caught early.
This is just another reason we recommend regular dental visits to the My Local Dentists West Ryde.
Cavities in a natural tooth and cavities in a veneered tooth are pretty much the same thing. Therefore, treatment is usually the same.
There is one small difference if decay occurs directly against the porcelain. In that case, a special bonding procedure needs to be used to bond the composite filling material to the enamel.
On newer veneers, the tooth-coloured bonding agent may be the answer, while older dental veneers may be replaced. Our advice, as always, is to prevent these problems with good oral hygiene.
Our answer is always prevention and not cure. While you may have some unavoidable issues with your teeth that veneers can fix, it then becomes up to you to avoid any future dental problems that might compromise your veneers or the teeth they are placed on.
Dental Veneers at My Local Dentists West Ryde
My Local Dentists West Ryde Advantage
My Local Dentist’s (previously My Local Dentists West Ryde) services and treatments are 100% personalised to you and your personal needs.
Our dentists are highly motivated and accredited practitioners with graduate degrees from the University of Sydney.
Alongside our dentists, the supporting staff at My Local Dentists West Ryde are extremely talented, dedicated, and experienced. Working together, we ensure that each visit with us is as pleasant as possible.
GAP FREE Promotion for New Patients
We believe prevention is essential to a beautiful and healthy smile, and so we will do everything we can to minimise any barriers to visiting the dentist.
To achieve this, we do not charge a gap payment from any health fund for preventative services, and this includes your six-monthly check-up, scale and cleans, check-up X-rays, intraoral photos, personalised treatment plan and fluoride treatments.
*for new patients only
Call us on (02) 9809 7000 or book your appointment online TODAY!
We are located at Shop 20 West Ryde Marketplace, 14 Anthony Road in West Ryde.