A recent survey found that tooth imperfections not only make you appear less attractive, but also less trustworthy and less intelligent. In addition, these social biases can take a toll on your emotional wellbeing, resulting in low confidence and damaged self-image.

Cosmetic dental treatments can change all this. Dental veneers refer to thin shells that are bonded to the visible (front) part of a tooth for aesthetic purposes.

Your dentist may recommend dental veneers:

• To cover severely discolored, slightly crooked, or poorly shaped upper front teeth
• To improve the color of the front teeth that have become yellow over time, or have a gray tint, and cannot be tuned white by bleaching
• To correct worn or chipped teeth
• To fix uneven spaces between teeth, including a diastema

Dental crowns can also be used to address more or less the same concerns. However, veneers require less removal of tooth enamel compared to crowns. And if the dentist determines that you don’t have enough tooth left for shaving, perhaps due to excessive tooth wear or existing large restorations, they may recommend no-prep veneers.

A ceramic crown is mostly used to wrap around a weakened tooth for added strength. So while veneers are recommended for healthy teeth, crowns might be more suitable for severely damaged or unhealthy teeth.

Otherwise, they share several benefits, including:

• Highly customized smile design – porcelain veneers and crowns are fabricated by a dental technician using the prescription provided by your cosmetic dentist to meet your custom design plan. So your smile is highly customized in terms of shade mapping, length, shape, degree of translucency, surface texture, and contours.
• No special maintenance needed – there is no special maintenance required beyond good daily oral hygiene. Make sure that you only purchase oral hygiene products that show the Seal of Acceptance for the American Dental Association. Regular dental checkups are also a must for maintaining a healthy mouth.
• Strong and durable – they are as strong and resilient as natural tooth enamel.

Final Note

Porcelain veneers can be made to mimic the reflective properties of natural teeth, giving you an amazing, natural looking smile transformation. Consult your dentist today to determine if you’re a good fit.