Veneers in London have become increasingly popular in recent years as a means of getting a great smile. A person’s smile can have a significant affect on how confident they feel about their appearance. This treatment is a great way to allow them to feel good about how they look and this can translate into greater success in all areas of life, including career and romantic potential. This is a guide to what veneers are and how they should be cared for after treatment.
What are veneers?
Veneers are very thin pieces of porcelain that are placed on top of the natural teeth in order to improve their appearance. They are tailor made for each patient to match their teeth exactly, which gives them a very natural appearance. They help to improve the strength and stability of the patient’s teeth by giving similar protective properties as natural tooth enamel.
Why do people choose this treatment?
Veneers are a great alternative to other treatments which are a little more intensive and require more time and effort. They can be used as a means of eliminating minor gaps between the teeth or alleviating slight misalignments. In this way, they act as a replacement for getting braces: a treatment that can be very effective, but which requires the patient to invest time and endure potential discomfort for a period of months or even years.
This treatment is also frequently chosen as a way of resolving issues such as cracks or breaks in the teeth as well as discolouration. Instead of replacing the teeth altogether, which can be an intensive process that causes concern to the patient; they can opt for veneers as a means of retaining the natural teeth whilst dramatically improving their appearance.
How does it work?
One of the great advantages of having the teeth improved using veneers is that it is a relatively quick process. The first step is a thorough cleaning of the teeth. Then, the dentist will remove a little of the enamel of the teeth in order to make space for the veneers. They then take a mould of the teeth so that there is an exact record of their shape and size for laboratory purposes. A temporary veneer is fitted which is later replaced by the custom-made porcelain version. This is secured using a combination of adhesive, special cement and light-curing to integrate the veneer fully with the natural tooth.
How should they be cared for?
Once the treatment has been completed, the patient can care for veneers as they would their natural teeth. Good oral care equates to brushing with fluoride toothpaste for two minutes twice daily and flossing once a day too. The patient may also wish to limit how much coffee, tea and red wine they consume as these can stain the teeth. Those who smoke should get advice on how to stop, as the habit can make the veneers deteriorate much more quickly than necessary. Veneers will need to be replaced eventually, no matter how well they are looked after. However, the more care taken, the longer lasting and more effective the treatment will be.