Dental Veneers: Pros & Cons

Have you ever wanted to fix minor imperfections to your teeth like small chips, discoloration, or the shape? Veneers may be the solution that you’re looking for. A Veneer is a thin porcelain or composite facing that is bonded to the front of your tooth. Some compare a veneer to a fake fingernail. The color, shape and size is customized just for your teeth. Because the change is considered permanent, the cosmetic dentist at Living Well Dental Group wants you to consider both the dental veneer pros and cons when thinking about whether veneers are right for you.

What is a Dental Veneer?

A veneer is a thin facing made of porcelain or composite bonded to the front of your tooth. It is used to fix minor imperfections of your teeth. Porcelain veneers are much stronger than composite veneers. Porcelain veneers will last approximately 15 years whereas composite veneers will only last 5-7 years. In some cases, veneers can be considered instant orthodontics for minor crowding or spacing issues. They are also used to fix small chips, stained teeth, or teeth that you just want to change the shape of. The fun part is you can pick the shade of your veneers. The sky’s the limit with how bright you’d like them. With our CEREC technology at Living Well Dental Group, veneers can be completed in one visit. That means you leave the same day with the smile you’ve always wanted.

The Pros & Cons of Veneers

There are many things to consider when deciding about whether veneers are right for you. We like our patients to be highly informed when it comes to the pros and cons of veneers. Here are of few:

Veneers: Pros

Instant: Veneers can be completed in 1 visit. With digital CEREC technology teeth can be prepared and digitally scanned for veneers in 1 visit. At Living Well Dental Group you can enjoy free Wi-Fi, Pandora and Netflix while your new smile is being created. You will leave the same day with your new veneers.

Conservative: Because veneers are so thin, very little tooth structure needs to be removed to make room for the veneer. Preserving as much of your natural tooth structure as possible is a huge benefit to veneers.

Permanent: Veneers are permanently bonded to the front of your teeth, which means they do not come off. They are much stronger than filling material allowing you the ability to bite into foods without worrying that they may come off.

Instant Braces: Getting veneers is like doing instant orthodontics. In just one visit you can eliminate minor crowding or minor spacing issues with your teeth.

Instant Whitening: Veneers are instant teeth whitening. With veneers you can pick the shade of your teeth and instantly whiten/brighten your smile in 1 visit.

Cosmetic: You can fix minor cosmetic issues with your teeth like chipped or worn teeth instantly.

Strong: Dental Veneers are stronger than having a filling on your tooth. They are made of strong porcelain and durable to chewing and biting into food.

Stain Resistant: Porcelain Veneers are stain resistant. This means the color you choose will be the color you see for the lifetime of the veneer.

Natural Looking: Veneers are very natural looking. They do transmit light through them like natural teeth. This gives them the same appearance as natural teeth.

Easy to care for: Dental veneers are easy to care for. They’re just like caring for your natural teeth. Brushing 2 times and day and flossing once per day with fluoridated toothpaste is all that is needed to maintain them.

Veneers: Cons

Cost: The cost of a veneer is more than a filling, although the veneer will last a lot longer than a filling.

Not Reversible: Prepping for a dental veneer is not reversible. It is considered a permanent change to your tooth. A small amount of enamel is removed from the front or facing side of the tooth in order for the veneer to fit. The veneer is permanently bonded to the front of your tooth.

Not suited for large imperfections: If the chipped or worn area of your tooth is too large, a veneer would not work well. This would be better suited for a full coverage crown.

Staining: Composite veneers can stain over time. Porcelain veneers will not stain.

Replacement: A veneer will need to be replaced overtime. The average lifespan for a veneer is 10-15 years. Replacing a veneer is an easy procedure and will only require 1 visit.

Call Our Naperville Porcelain Veneer Specialist!

If you’re considering veneers to enhance your smile, reach out to our cosmetic dental specialist team. We would be happy to evaluate your teeth to see if dental veneers are a good choice for you. Please call (630) 505-1516 today to schedule a consultation. We look forward to sharing information about how veneers can give you the smile you’ve always wanted.