Question

Can anyone give me some info on veneers?
I would like 6 (upper teeth) has anyone had veneers, and can give me a little info?
Can you see what they are gona look like before you say ‘yes il have it done’ or is it just a case of gettin them done, and hoping you like the look of them?

Answer

Veneers are (as your probably aware) porcelain coverings/shims of the front (labial) aspect of the tooth surface, which are bonded to tooth.

Having 6 upper teeth done would usually mean canine to canine but be aware that the result you get will depend on your smile line i.e. if you can see your lower teeth or upper premolar teeth when you smile it won’t look good.

In order to place a veneer a substantial amount of tooth tissue (usually healthy!) needs to be cut away, this is because thicker porcelain has better aesthetic properties and is less prone to brittle fracture. The pay off is that the remaining tooth is more brittle.

Also of note is that nothing in dentistry is ever permanent your veneers will at some point de-bond and have to be re-bonded or replaced usually at great expense.

You might also consider composite veneers, which are essentially plastic; they can look very good (not as good as porcelain) but are cheaper and less destructive to natural tooth.

Most dentists who offer veneers will have some kind of portfolio showing you some before and after results with veneers, some may also have computer software, which can give you an idea of what they would look like. Ultimately though there’s no way to actually predict what they’ll look like until they’re in place.

J Kennair