Dental Veneers - Two Factors That May Make You A Poor Candidate

If you have extremely discolored and chipped teeth or if your teeth are small and slightly crooked, then it may be in your best interest to speak with your cosmetic dentist about the placement of dental veneers. However, you need to understand that dental veneer placement is a permanent procedure that cannot be reversed. This means that you must carefully consider your cosmetic dental options. When you do this, you should understand that the following things may possibly make you a poor candidate for dental veneers.

You Have Chronic Gum Disease

If you have chronic gum disease, then it may be best to think about dental whitening and bonding instead of the placement of veneers. When dental restoration appliances like veneers are placed on the teeth, the wafers are created so they sit just below the gum-line. This is ideal so that the tooth coverings look as natural as possible. However, this placement allows a small irregularity or a slight protrusion to sit against the tooth. This is often a perfect place for bacteria to gather. This will cause swelling and inflammation that will exacerbate gingivitis and gum disease conditions. In addition to this concern, ceramic restorations like dental veneers are typically roughened a bit on the surface when they are first created. This helps to allow a biofilm to form on the exterior of the veneers like it does on the natural teeth. The texture can also allow plaque and tartar to stick to the teeth though, and these materials encourage bacterial activity and the formation of gingivitis.

While it is not impossible to receive dental veneers if you have gingivitis or gum disease, you will need to make sure that gum problems have been successfully controlled before investing in dental restoration. Also, you will need to brush consistently and use water piks to clear the debris that may sit below the gum-line.

You Have Brittle and Thin Teeth

When you go through the dental veneer process, your cosmetic dentist will need to release or grind away a portion of your dental enamel. Otherwise, the veneers will add a great deal of unnatural thickness to the teeth. Most dental veneers are between. 5 and .7 millimeters thick, and this same amount of dental enamel needs to be removed from the teeth to make room for the veneer thickness. If your teeth are extremely stained, then veneers may need to be made thicker to cover the discoloration. If this is the case for your teeth, then the veneers may need to be made about 1.5 millimeters thick. Most teeth contain enamel that is around 2.5 millimeters thick in the densest areas. However, if you have sensitive or brittle teeth, then your dental enamel is likely to be thinner than normal. This may be due to genetics or the fact that your enamel has been worn away. While smaller areas of enamel can be removed, your teeth may not be substantial, thick, or strong enough to retain the veneers comfortably over a long period of time. This is even more likely if you have had tooth chipping issues in the past.

If possible, think about considering the application of super thin dental veneers called lumineers. These devices will add about a .3 to a .5 millimeter thickness to the teeth. The lumineers or super thin veneers are generally more expensive than traditional varieties though, and they may be too thin to cover up discoloration.

If you think that dental veneers may be your best option to repair your teeth, then make sure to contact a cosmetic dentist, like those at Village Family Dental, for a consultation. The professional will be able to inform you if you are a good candidate or not. If you are not, then there may be a wide variety of other cosmetic options that can help you with your specific tooth beauty concerns. 

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