It's one of the least understood procedures in the field of cosmetic dentistry. And because the placement of porcelain veneers may entail the removal of a small amount of tooth enamel, some people decide not to look into veneers further. For other people, the biggest concern about dental veneers is that they are permanently affixed to teeth. However, a closer look at all that veneers entail can help people put their fears to bed and to then put one foot forward to take that first step.

How Veneers Work

While there are variations, the standard process for placing veneers entails cleaning the teeth and then preparing them for veneers. A thin layer of enamel may be removed from the front side of each tooth that will receive veneers. The area where the enamel is removed from is left a little rough to help with adhesion. From there, the veneer is bonded to the tooth.

Why They Aren’t Bad for Teeth

For people with healthy teeth, porcelain veneers aren’t a threat to their oral health. Because they’re resistant to staining and bacterial infections, caring for veneers might make your daily oral care even easier to perform.

However, these are some of the cases in which porcelain veneers may actually be bad for teeth:

Sensitivity – if a layer of enamel has to be removed to support the veneer, you may experience a slight increase in sensitivity with the tooth. If the tooth was already sensitive, it may become even more so after getting veneers.

Tooth decay – if one of the teeth receiving veneers is decaying, you’ll need to have the tooth restored before getting veneers. Placing veneers on a damaged tooth will only hide the decay, as the decay spreads.

Severe gum disease – If you have severe gums disease, you’ll need to work with your dentist to get the issue under control in order to sure the damage doesn’t spread to the teeth – if it hasn’t already.

More on Veneers in Manhattan, NY

Take a moment to reserve time to talk with a local dentist to learn more about veneers in Manhattan, NY, as well as many other cosmetic dental procedures.