Cosmetic dentistry is constantly growing because everyone wants a beautiful smile. Porcelain veneers are one popular cosmetic procedure that allows patients to get a white, straight, and nearly flawless smile. If you are considering getting porcelain veneers, check out these three questions, so you can determine if they really are the best choice for you.
What Are Your Cosmetic Concerns?
Porcelain veneers correct a wide variety of cosmetic concerns. For starters, if you have stains that are resistant to whitening, such as discoloration from trauma, porcelain veneers can make your teeth look white. Plus, porcelain has the same translucent appearance as natural teeth, making them look almost totally real. Porcelain veneers are also great if you have a lot of chips or cracks in your teeth. Like a crown, they cover these cracks, but veneers can only be placed on front teeth, so if you have back teeth with cosmetic concerns, veneers won't help. Last, if you have mild to moderate gapping or crowded teeth, veneers can make them look straight. They are not good at correcting severely crooked or gapped teeth.
What's Your Budget?
Porcelain veneers are not an inexpensive procedure. You can spend about $500 to $1,100 per tooth. You will only need them on your front teeth, however. Other costs to consider are those related to side effects of the procedure. To place the veneers, your dentist must remove some of the tooth's surface. On thin front teeth, it's easy to damage the pulp during this procedure. Therefore, you may develop an infection later, which will require root canal treatment and a replacement of the veneer with a dental crown. Last, veneers don't last forever, but you have to keep your tooth covered forever. Therefore, you may need to pay for the cost of replacement veneers in the future.
Are Your Teeth Strong?
The last consideration is the overall health of your teeth. If you haven't taken good care of your teeth, they may be weak. Teeth with large fillings, cracks, cavities, and teeth treated with root canal treatment are vulnerable, making them poor candidates for porcelain veneers. This is because porcelain veneers do not strengthen teeth. These weak teeth likely need dental crowns to offer more protection from chewing and grinding. Dental crowns also come in porcelain, so you'll still get a beautiful smile.
Porcelain veneers have given many patients the smile they've always wanted. If your teeth are strong, and you can afford the cost, consider veneers. For more information, check out a website like http://northwestdental.com/.
