Why Veneers? Exploring Their Popularity and Benefits

Veneers in Bloomington, IN are a popular cosmetic dentistry service, thanks largely to the dramatic transformation that they can have on your smile. If you’re interested in how veneers work, we’ll explore their benefits and whether they’re right for you.  

What Are Veneers?

Veneers are thin shells that bond to your teeth to cover anything from stubborn staining to misalignment. They’re not a direct substitute for crowns, braces, clear aligners, or implants, but they can cover up an array of cosmetic flaws for a straighter and more attractive smile.  

What Are the Benefits of Veneers?

We’ll look at several benefits of veneers and why patients choose them over other solutions:

  • Versatile: You can use veneers for cracks, gapping, misalignment, chips, or crowding. They can’t strengthen your tooth like a crown can, but they can provide a small amount of support to keep your healthy tooth from additional damage. For example, an unprotected chipped tooth may be more prone to additional chipping.  
  • Minimally invasive: Unlike many other services, such as a crown fitting, a veneer appointment leaves the natural tooth largely intact. While the dentist will need to take a small portion of enamel from the tooth, to ensure that the shell bonds to the surface, it’s an easy, straightforward procedure. Plus, there’s no recovery time.
  • Durable: Veneers may be made of relatively thin material, but they’re strong enough to last 10 years or longer. The best way to care for your veneers is to keep up with your standard dental hygiene routine, including flossing at least once per day. You may also want to avoid particularly challenging foods to chew, such as popcorn kernels or taffy. You may also want to limit your acidic intake, as drinks like lemonade or alcohol can start to erode the bonding material of the veneer.  
  • Confidence: There’s a lot to be said for having a confident smile. Once your veneers are on, you may find that it’s easier to take photos, meet new people, and carry-on prolonged conversations. Plus, when you feel good about your teeth, you’re more likely to take pride in them. Instead of putting off those dental appointments or skipping your daily water flossing session, you may find yourself eager to complete these seemingly mundane tasks!  

Your Dental Veneers Blend with Your Teeth

It can be intimidating to make changes to your appearance. You may wonder if it will look too stark or unnatural. One of the biggest reasons that veneers are so popular is that they can blend with the rest of your teeth. Advanced dental technology, such as Computer Aided Design (CAD), makes it easy to create veneers that look like your natural smile in terms of size, shape, and color.  

Find a Dentist in Bloomington, IN

While veneers are a great cosmetic option for many people, they are not an option for everyone. For instance, if you have gum disease your gums may not be healthy to support the addition of veneers. Or if you have more advanced dental issues, such as severe misalignment or cracking, you may need more traditional solutions (e.g., braces, crowns, extractions, etc.) before exploring veneers. Our dedicated team at Todd Whitlock Dentistry will help you decide what cosmetic dental solution is right for you!