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What Are Porcelain Veneers and What Can You Expect from Them?

A lot of people say that the first thing everyone notices about us after seeing our faces is our smiles. The way we smile can definitely create a long-lasting first impression on people, and I don’t talk only about our facial expressions and how gentle or elegantly we smile.

I am also talking about our teeth.

White, shining teeth go a long way when it comes to improving our presence and looks while helping us create a much more solid impression in people. But this is something that requires a considerable amount of discipline and power of will.

Dental Care in a Nutshell

To achieve a model’s smile, we have to commit to very disciplined and careful dental care, and also engage in specific practices like the ones showcased over here. These practices can englobe things like:

  • Brushing your teeth on a daily basis
  • Flossing every two or three days
  • Consuming more calcium
  • Reducing sugar intake
  • Reducing the consumption of staining foods and beverages, such as coke, coffee, red wine.

Sadly, there are occasions in which you might have neglected your dental care and your teeth are relatively stained or yellowish, so some of these things might not improve the looks of your teeth. At least, not as much as you want.

Some professionals recommend trying baking soda or hydrogen peroxide, and you can even find toothpaste containing these compounds. Studies have shown incredible results from these products, so you might as well give it a try.

When Normal Methods Don’t Work

Yet… What happens if your teeth are not only stained but damaged? There’s no toothpaste or natural products that can heal your teeth the way they used to be. Still, there’s another viable option for you, known as porcelain veneers, which can be applied by professional dentists to improve the looks of your teeth and correct some functional problems related to them.

But what are porcelain veneers? Do they hurt? Are they expensive? Are they even worth it? In this article, we will talk about the most important aspects of porcelain veneers you should know to help you decide whether to try them out or not.

Introduction to Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers can be simply described as a porcelain layer that can be placed over a tooth for the sake of improving its looks or covering some faults it might have, especially when we are dealing with a chipped or broken tooth.

There are two main types of veneers: the ones made out of porcelain, and the ones created using composite materials. The latter is mainly used in children or adolescents since later on when they are fully grown, they will require a more permanent solution, which are the veneers created using porcelain.

Now, in the two categories, you can find full veneer crowns and laminate veneers. Crowns are meant to be restoration device that covers the whole tooth, while the laminate veneer is the one that is mainly used for aesthetical purposes, and is only a thin layer of porcelain or composite material.

The main reason veneers are used is as a way to help a single tooth (Or multiple ones) recover from damages caused by physical injuries or accidents. There’s a wide range of damages that can either be caused by incidents, or poor dental care, including teeth that have received damage in the edges and seem like very old ones, or malformed teeth that causes damage or grants a very weak or painful bite.

These devices can only be received through prescriptions, thus, an appointment with a professional dentist is necessary. He or she will assess your situation and decide whether you are suitable for them, and which options are better for you based on your age and circumstances.

Are They Worth It, Though?

It depends entirely on your situation and your expectations. Most of the time, people get them for aesthetical purposes, since they want their teeth to look good. This can result in an incredible boost in self-esteem and confidence in some people, which is always a good thing, especially for those who care about their looks.

If that is the case for you, and you are already a grown adult, getting a porcelain veneer might be expensive at first, but you have to understand that it will probably be a long-term investment that will be with you for years to come. Normally, a porcelain veneer can last up to 10, 15, or 20 years! This, of course, will depend entirely on how careful you are with them, and how much you take care of your teeth.

So, if you consider your looks a very important asset for your personal and professional life, this might as well be one of the best investments you can make.

Are They Painful or Uncomfortable?

Believe it or not, a lot of people are scared of going to the dentist, just because of the pain related to previous experiences, or the stories they have heard about how painful an appointment can be.

Although this is certainly true for some specific situations, it is not always the case. And when it comes to dental veneers, it is a straightforward and painless experience, since no drills or injections are involved in the process.

That being said, once the procedure is finished and your veneers are installed, you might feel some level of discomfort and sensitivity. This side effect depends on each person since we all have different levels of sensitivity, but generally speaking, it lasts from two days to two weeks after the installation.

Of course, to ensure that your veneers are properly taken care of, dental care is absolutely necessary. How careful you are with them will decide its efficiency, and of course, its lifetime, so you have to make sure you engage in this aspect of life, with a lot of discipline and care.

Over here https://www.byrdie.com/veneers-process you can check someone’s experience with dental veneers, the things she dealt with, and how she took care of her teeth in the process. I recommend checking it out if you have doubts about the process and want to learn more about it on a more personal take.