As we age, our teeth begin to suffer wear and tear such as cracks, gaps, chips, discoloration, and misalignments. These little flaws can make us feel anxious about showing our teeth and maybe we don’t smile as often as we should. With all the different issues, you may feel embarrassed and overwhelmed when you look at your smile in the mirror. With porcelain veneers, New Bern, NC dentist Dr. J. Stephen Hoard can refresh the appearance of your smile by correcting the color, shape, and spacing of your teeth.
Refresh Your Existing Smile With Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain dental veneers can be used to eliminate large gaps between your teeth, lengthen or reshape teeth or even to whiten yellowed or stained teeth. If your teeth are chipped, dented or are showing signs of wear, veneers can protect them against further damage while also providing a natural-looking, refreshed appearance.
Eating or drinking things with dyes like coffee, tea or wine or that are acidic like most fruit, and sugar can damage enamel, resulting in tooth sensitivity or discoloration. Digestion begins in the mouth, and everything we eat affects our tooth enamel, some more than others. You may be considering having your teeth whitened, but dental veneers may be a better option for you if you have multiple concerns that need to be resolved.
For small gaps between teeth, or only a few crooked teeth, dental veneers resolve these in a single, simple and affordable treatment rather than undergoing extended orthodontic treatment or having several different complicated procedures. Porcelain veneers are custom-fitted to cover your teeth and then adhered to them, so Dr. Hoard can design yours to cover any minor misalignment, gaps, or cracks.
Are Dental Veneers Right For Me?
Dental veneers are installed by Dr. Hoard after he removes the outermost layer of enamel so that they will not feel overly large in your mouth or change the shape of your mouth. Then the veneers are simply attached to your teeth. This is unlike a dental crown or dental implants, where the teeth are removed or altered. With dental veneers the teeth in your smile will still be your own natural teeth but covered by a protective layer, resulting in a fresh, youthful-looking version of your smile!
There are some patients for whom porcelain veneers may not be the right option at this time. For example, people with bruxism (habitual grinding of teeth) may want to discuss treatment of this condition with Dr. Hoard before veneers are placed so as not to damage them with this habit. Patients with very sensitive teeth may not want to undergo the preparation for veneers without sedation or pain management medication as the removal of enamel can cause discomfort. Fortunately, once these issues have been treated, most patients can still experience the benefits of porcelain veneers.
Porcelain Veneers in New Bern, NC
To learn more about whether porcelain veneers are right for you, schedule an appointment with Dr. Hoard and our dental care team at our New Bern office. Call (252) 507-0373 or schedule an appointment online today.