Do veneers straighten teeth?

Veneers are popular as ‘instant orthodontics. These are thin; customized coverings tooth-colored materials that conceal the dents, cracks, and stains on your teeth. Besides improving appearance, veneers also provide resilience and strength similar to natural tooth enamel. They are layered onto your tooth using dental adhesive, a safe bonding agent providing superior adhesion. Porcelain or resin composite are the two common materials for making veneers. So, coming to the central question, are veneers a good option for teeth straightening?

It depends on the type of orthodontic treatment you need. Primarily, it has two types—cosmetic orthodontics and functional orthodontics.

• Cosmetic orthodontics refers to dental treatments that focus on the esthetic aspect of teeth straightening. It works to make your teeth look straighter and whiter, with or without the presence of functional elements. Cosmetic dentists focus on improving the appearance of the patients’ teeth while also considering the functional aspect. If you know a cosmetic dentist in Bonita and visit them for a dental procedure, they will first ensure there’s no severe tooth damage or misalignment. If you have such issues, functional orthodontics comes into the picture first.
• Functional orthodontics covers the aspects of dental healthcare that affect your everyday life, for example, eating, smiling, speaking, etc. In addition to straightening dramatically-misaligned or crowded teeth, it helps correct the bit and jaw issues. Repositioning your upper and lower jaw also help achieve a better facial profile. Ignoring these issues and going for cosmetic changes straightaway is a waste of your hard-earned money. For example, whitening treatment for severely crowded teeth won’t help solve eating, chewing, and talking problems.  Functional orthodontics may not necessarily include cosmetic changes to your teeth.

How do veneers help straighten teeth?

Veneers come under cosmetic dentistry. They do not straighten teeth but rather give an even, whiter, and beautiful smile. It works well if you have a few slightly crooked teeth. Your dentist customizes a dental veneer using a composite resin or porcelain to fix your teeth. You may choose to get veneers for one or more teeth. However, many people prefer getting veneers for both sets of teeth to get an evenly-colored smile.

How to know you are a good candidate for veneers?

Your dentist examines your oral health to check if you are a suitable candidate for veneers. The factors that they consider include the status of your oral hygiene and the health of your gums and teeth. In addition, your teeth should be positioned well so that veneers give an optimal result. However, the following issues, which require minor changes to your teeth, can be corrected using veneers.

• Worn-down teeth
• Slight crowding
• Gaps between teeth
• Chips and dents
• Tooth discoloration
• Uneven size of teeth
• Rotated or misshapen teeth

Who are not the ideal candidates for veneers?

Despite having minimal problems related to bite and teeth alignment, every patient is not is eligible for veneers. Poor oral hygiene, chronic teeth grinding and clenching, and severe malocclusion or crowding require you to get a more extensive smile correction and oral healthcare treatment before getting veneers.

Different Types of Veneers & Costs

The types of veneers comprise composite resin, porcelain, lumineers, and snap-up veneers. Depending on the dentist’s recommendations, your needs, and budget, you may choose any. Choose veneers thoughtfully as they affect your natural teeth and the longevity of the restoration.

Composite Veneers

Composite veneers are a viable and affordable option for making cosmetic changes to the front teeth. Their cost ranges from $250 to $1500 per tooth, but they are not as durable as porcelain veneers as they are more prone to chipping and fracture. They absorb color easily and can get stained gradually if you take dark-colored foods and drinks often. That is why these are not an ideal option if you love coffee, tea, wine, or smoking. The procedure to get composite veneers is less invasive and time-consuming. Some people call them a stepping stone to porcelain veneers. Resin veneers are easier to repair than porcelain veneers and last an average of five to seven years.

Porcelain veneers

Cosmetic dentists prefer recommending these veneers because of their high aesthetic appeal and translucent material. Porcelain is the most robust material for veneers and lasts about ten years. Its veneers give a subtle smile makeover that matches the adjacent natural teeth. They are stain-resistant, which means you can enjoy dark-colored food and beverages while maintaining your teeth’s bright and smooth appearance. High on biocompatibility, they won’t irritate your oral tissues or injure your gums.

Given their many benefits, porcelain veneers are relatively expensive. The cost starts from $925 and may go up to $3000 per tooth, depending on the dentist, number of teeth to be veneered, and location.

Lumineers

Like porcelain veneers, lumineers correct slight misalignment, spacing, and surface issues such as chipping, stains, and cracks on the teeth. They, too, are created in a dental lab and require you to visit your dentist at least twice. So, what makes lumineers different? It is their thinness. These are wafer-thin and do not require the removal of your natural teeth to make room for them.  It means you will not have to wear a tooth-colored composite covering until you get the veneer. Understandably, lumineers are more expensive than porcelain veneers. However, they are much more durable and last up to twenty years.

Snap-on veneers

A snap-on veneer is an ideal choice for those looking for the look and feel of porcelain veneer without committing to wearing them permanently.

These are temporary and work well for correcting gapped or stained teeth. However, they are not as durable or effective as porcelain or composite veneers. In fact, you might end up with more plaque buildup between the margin of the tooth and shell, which increases the risk for cavity. Many patients choose snap-up veneers because they are affordable and fix minor imperfections quickly.

Will you choose veneers for teeth straightening? If yes, what’s your type?

Comment below and share your thoughts.

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