Porcelain Veneers – A Long Term Solution For Cracked And Stained Teeth

Even severely stained teeth can be made to look great again with veneers!

The first stop for most of our Ipswich patients who are looking for ways to improve their smile is to have their teeth whitened.

This is a logical first step as the treatment is non-invasive and one of the most affordable cosmetic treatments that we offer at the Foxhall Dental Practice.

It is not the only suitable treatment that can help you have a brand new smile though and whilst it works for the majority of patients who have stained or discoloured teeth, it is not always the most suitable solution for everyone.

Anyone who has smoked for a long time will know how badly stained your teeth can get. Whilst this isn’t the only reason for severe tooth staining, it is one of the most common. With more and more people stopping smoking, or attempting to, it is probably no surprise that once they have succeeded in doing so, they want to reverse this particular problem as soon as they can. Whilst some success might be achieved with a teeth whitening treatment, for many, fitting dental veneers could be a better option.

Chips and cracks

Staining isn’t the only reason for using veneers. Over time, our teeth can suffer from cosmetic ‘defects’ such as chips or cracks on the tooth enamel. Even if a teeth whitening treatment was a workable solution for any discolouration that was present, it wouldn’t get rid of these problems, and indeed, may even serve to highlight them. In cases like this, replacing the damaged tooth surface with a new porcelain veneer is likely to be the best option available.

Closing ‘gappy’ teeth

Although orthodontic treatments such as Invisalign or Quick Straight Teeth are usually the best way to straighten crooked teeth, veneers can also be used to cosmetically close gaps in some cases. One of the most common uses in this situation is to close a diastema. This is the gap that sometimes occurs between the top two front teeth. Whether they can be used for this purpose will depend on the situation and will require an examination to be carried out by one of our Ipswich dentists to determine the best course of action.

Long term benefits

The first step in any dental procedure, cosmetic or otherwise, is to have a consultation with the dentist. What might seem like an obvious solution to you, may not be the best one available. Some treatments are naturally cheaper than others and patients might veer towards these for obvious reasons. This may not always be the best or even the cheapest option in the long run. Teeth whitening is one good example of this. Whilst a teeth whitening procedure is cheaper than veneers, the effect will wear off after a while and if you want to maintain the whiteness, you will need to repeat the treatment.  This is fine if you only want to occasionally whiten them, perhaps for special occasions, but for those looking to have consistently whiter teeth, veneers might be a better solution. Veneers typically last for around ten years and, being stain resistant, maintaining their appearance during this time.

Fitting veneers

In order to fit your new veneers we first have to ‘shave’ away a fine layer from the front of your teeth. Once this is done, we will take impressions which are sent to a dental laboratory for your custom veneers to be made. You will be given temporary veneers to protect your teeth during this time. When your new veneers are returned to our practice, you will be recalled to have them fitted. This involves removing the temporary veneers and attaching the new ones using a strong dental adhesive. Finally, we will trim and polish the veneers, leaving you with great looking teeth that will last a long time providing they are looked after correctly. You will be given full advice on how to do this.

We will monitor your veneers during your regular check ups and offer any advice regarding their care. Generally, veneers are straightforward to look after and simply require that you clean your teeth well, remembering that whilst they can’t decay, the natural tooth they are attached to can, and any damage caused to the natural tooth may cause the veneer to become less secure.

Porcelain veneers then are a great long term option when your teeth are badly stained and/or chipped or cracked. If you are unhappy with the way that your teeth look and would like to discover how we can transform your smile, why not arrange to have an initial consultation at the Foxhall Dental Practice by calling us on 01473 258396 today.