7 Ways Dental Veneers Can Improve Your Smile

Your smile is one of the first things that people notice about you, and if you have imperfections, it can negatively affect your self-confidence. In fact, one study found that dissatisfaction with your smile is a significant predictor of low self-esteem. 

7 Ways That Dental Veneers Can Make Your Smile Shine:

1. Dental Veneers Can Close the Gap

Dental veneers can close minor gaps in teeth to improve the appearance of a smile. Many people with gaps will hide them by not showing their teeth when they smile, but dental veneers can effectively cover that gap to make you feel more confident about smiling. 

Dental veneers are thin shells that are designed specifically for your teeth. They are custom-made to fit over the surface of your tooth and can be shaped to cover minor gaps. They also closely match the color of your teeth, so they will look completely natural. 

2. Brighten Those Difficult Stains

Some people have stains on their teeth that cannot be removed by professional whitening procedures. These include stains made by a history of some types of medications, like antibiotics, or by severe fevers. 

The reason these stains can’t be removed by whitening is that they occur on the internal layer of the tooth called the dentin rather than the outer layer of the enamel. In those cases, dental veneers can cover teeth with stains that whitening can’t correct.

3. Help Correct a Gummy Smile

Some people are unhappy with their smile because it is too gummy. In other words, their tooth-to-gum ratio favors the gums. This is where veneers can help. 

Your cosmetic dentist can recontour your gums and place veneers that are sized to provide more balance for your smile. This will mean you can show more tooth and less gum when you smile. 

4. Cover Tooth Cracks and Chips

Another type of imperfection that veneers can cover is tooth cracks and chips. These can create a kind of ragged appearance to your smile. 

Veneers can often be a better choice for covering these kinds of imperfections than other alternatives like crowns. 

It is important to realize, however, that while your teeth may appear undamaged, veneers don’t correct the damage to the tooth. While you want your teeth to look good, you also want them to genuinely be healthy, so talk to your provider about what option is best for you. 

5. Correct Minor to Moderate Misalignments

Dental veneers can also be used to correct the appearance of minor to moderate misalignments. While they don’t actually correct the misalignment, they can make your teeth appear straight. 

This makes dental veneers a faster alternative to braces for helping your teeth appear straighter. For those who need a fast fix for their smile, veneers can be the way to go. 

6. Restore the Appearance of Worn Teeth

Bruxism is when you wear your teeth down by grinding them. It’s a very common problem. In fact, by some estimates, as much as 30% of the population grinds their teeth at least occasionally. 

That can create a worn look to the biting edge of your teeth. Veneers can restore the original appearance of your teeth. It doesn’t fix the problem of bruxism, but it does help your smile look better. The good news is – your dentist can address both problems!

7. Dental Veneers Give You a Natural Appearing Smile

Finally, dental veneers are virtually undetectable from your natural teeth. Their color is matched to your natural teeth, and your dentist will shape them to fit naturally with the adjacent teeth, your smile line and your facial structures.

What Types of Dental Veneers Options Are Offered?

There are a few different types of dental veneers to choose from, but all can give you a natural-appearing smile. Composite veneers are made of tooth-colored composite resin to match your smile, and are less expensive, but can stain over time. 

Porcelain veneers are made to specifically fit your dental anatomy so they will fit like a glove over your natural tooth and shine like natural teeth. No-prep veneers are a less invasive option because they don’t require as much enamel removal as traditional veneers do. 

No matter what kind of dental veneers you choose, they can give you a dazzling, natural-appearing smile that is sure to boost your confidence. 

Consult With A Dentist In Richmond, VA About Veneers

If you have imperfections in your teeth that you would like to fix, we can help. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Sarah Wilmer at The Cosmetic and Laser Dental Spa of Richmond. She can answer all your dental veneer questions. Give us a call today, and you’ll be on your way to a confident smile!