A dental veneer is a thin sliver of porcelain that is attached to the front surface of a tooth to alter its appearance. A veneer is usually fashioned in a dental laboratory to ensure you that the thin piece of ceramic material fully matches the mouth of the dental patient. Thus, veneers are usually applied during two separate dental visits.

During the initial appointment, the dentist prepares a mold of the patient's mouth. The dental laboratory uses the mold as a guide when fabricating the veneer. A second visit is used to place the veneer. There are multiple reasons that your dentist may suggest dental veneers. Here are a few of them:

Whitening

If your teeth are discolored from food or other highly pigmented substances, such as tobacco, they can be whitened using veneers. When veneers are used to transform the color of your teeth, they do not involve chemical whitening substances, such as peroxide gels. Instead, affixing the veneer to the front surface of the tooth allows the color of the veneer to be displayed instead of the color of the underlying tooth.

Additionally, unlike traditional chemical whitening products, veneers can be used to whiten teeth that are permanently stained. Sometimes, teeth can be discolored due to a congenital defect or even certain medications such as tetracycline.

In addition, veneers do not incite dental sensitivity as chemical products may.

Oddly Shaped Teeth

If your teeth are misshapen, veneers can be used to change their contours. For instance, if your teeth appear to be too small for your facial structure, larger veneers that suitable in size and shape can be used to cover your teeth and transform their appearance.

Damaged Teeth

The appearance of teeth that have been damaged by trauma, such as a blow to the mouth, can also be improved by veneers. In some cases, damage to a tooth is superficial. Chips of tooth enamel or cracks in the enamel layer may not have a detrimental effect on the overall health of a tooth. However, the damage can cause the tooth to appear unsightly.

Veneers can be bonded to cover a crack or chip. The color and shape of the covering will be matched to that of the other teeth in  your mouth.

If you are interested in having your teeth transformed using dental veneers, contact a dentist in your local area. He or she will be able to examine your teeth and give you an idea of how your teeth will look after an application of veneers. The dentist (like Michael G Landy DDS) can also answer any questions you may have concerning the procedure.