Copyright 2005 Charles Preston

Porcelain veneers are a hot trend in cosmetic dentistry right now because they can completely change the way a person"s mouth looks, and positively change the way a person views him or herself. A cosmetic dentist can make the decision whether porcelain veneers are right for each person, as it"s not something that should be taken lightly. While a cosmetic can totally change the way you look and feel with porcelain veneers, it is a serious procedure with permanent changes to tooth structure. Consulting with your cosmetic dentist will let you know if you are a candidate for such a procedure, or perhaps there are less invasive ways for you to be treated that will leave you happy and your smile healthy.

Porcelain veneers first became popular in the late 1980"s when cosmetic dentistry started to become a little bit more popular. Of course, these days most people know of someone who has porcelain veneers, but many people don"t know what it means to actually have them done. A porcelain veneer is something that only a qualified cosmetic dentist should do as it"s a procedure that actually requires you to lose most of your actual tooth. Then, a lab creates a veneer that fits over the small bit of tooth remaining to give you the appearance of beautiful and natural teeth. If created properly, porcelain veneers can look just like real teeth and they have little or no affect on the way a person eats, speaks, or lives.

A qualified cosmetic dentist is needed for the placement of porcelain veneers, as there is a lot that a dentist has to take into consideration when doing such a procedure. First, a cosmetic dentist must decide what is will be accomplished with the veneers and if there is any other way to go about achieving those results that is less invasive. Next, will the patient be capable of taking care of the teeth and the veneers for longevity. And lastly, whether the health of the patient and their teeth justifies such a drastic measure. Because the teeth are ground down considerably, both the cosmetic dentist and the patient must be sure that they want to go ahead with the procedure and keep the veneers for the remainder of the patient’s life.

How long porcelain veneers last is really dependent upon many things. The most important factor in the longevity of the veneers is how well the cosmetic dentist bonded the veneers to the actual tooth. Many dentists don"t have a proper bonding method and over time the veneers slip or fall off altogether. If a veneer is constantly slipping or falling off it"s very unlikely that they"ll last very long at all. Another factor that affects the life of porcelain veneers is any bite issues that the patient may have. If the patient has a severe over or under bite it may affect how long the veneer will hold up. Probably one of the most important factors that will affect how long veneers last is how well the patient takes care of his or her teeth. Teeth and gums that are not properly cared for don"t last as long, no matter what they are made of. Careful steps must be taken to preserve the porcelain veneers. Veneers can easily last as long as ten years before considering replacing them, if they are well cared for. For most people, one set of veneers won"t be enough in their lifetime, at least not with modern veneer capabilities.

Going to a cosmetic dentist to have porcelain veneers placed on your teeth is a big decision, but if you are going to a qualified dentist it will likely be a very positive experience. Your smile is a big part of who you are, and when you feel good about your smile you feel good about yourself and a cosmetic dentist can make it happen for you.