Revive Your Smile With Veneers

You may have started out with a perfect set of pearly whites, but as with most things, time might have left your smile dull and discolored. And if you have tooth stains or chips and gaps, you may not feel there’s much to smile about. Fortunately, dental veneers can rejuvenate your smile.

Dr. Lana Rozenberg of Rozenberg Dental NYC uses porcelain veneers to help her patients achieve the smile of their dreams, whether just one tooth needs help or the whole arch. Here’s what she’d like you to know about veneers and what they can do for you.

Veneers basics

Dental veneers are custom-made, wafer-thin shells bonded to the front of your teeth. They change the tooth’s color, size, shape, or length, and they’re a durable and affordable alternative to a crown. 

While veneers certainly give your smile a vibrant and bright look, they’re not just a cosmetic treatment. They also enhance your oral health by resisting acid and decay.

Dental veneers can be manufactured from porcelain or resin composite materials, but we use porcelain due to its many benefits, including:

• Resists stains better than the resin ones
• Stronger than resin
• Looks more like your natural teeth: the material mimics the light-reflecting properties of natural teeth

Veneers may be best suited for those with cosmetic concerns looking for a long-term solution but who don’t respond well to treatments such as teeth whitening or braces. Most veneers last 7-15 years before needing to be replaced.

How can veneers revive my smile?

Veneers offer several solutions to help make your smile the best it can be.

Addresses staining and discoloration

A lifetime of drinking coffee, tea, and dark colas; eating dark-colored foods like berries and popsicles; and smoking or chewing tobacco can all rob your teeth of their white sheen. In addition, as you grow older, the tooth enamel thins, revealing more of the yellow-colored dentin underneath.

While professional teeth whitening can work wonders in many cases, it can’t tackle all forms of discoloration, and it doesn’t work well on teeth that have had restorative work. Because veneers are applied to the tooth face, covering the entire length, they immediately brighten your smile.

Addresses uneven, gapped, or misaligned teeth

Traditional orthodontic procedures, as well as the new, clear-tray system of Invisalign®, take a long time to work, cost a lot, and aren’t suited for everyone. Veneers, though, cover gaps between teeth as well as irregular spacing, making them an easy and affordable alternative.

Addresses “gummy” smiles

When you feel like your gums overwhelm the size of your teeth, veneers can lengthen and correct the shape, creating a more balanced and proportioned look.

Addresses chips and cracks

When you chip or crack a tooth, you damage its enamel covering, leaving the tooth open to bacteria and decay. A veneer covers the crack or chip, protecting the tooth.

Addresses damaged enamel

Chips and cracks are two ways enamel can become damaged. However, enamel can also wear down over time due to chewing, brushing too hard, stomach acid from reflux (GERD), or consuming highly acidic foods and drinks. A veneer provides an extra layer of protection for the weak tooth.

Who is a good candidate for veneers?

A good candidate for veneers should:

• Have good oral health (no infections or oral diseases)
• Maintain proper oral hygiene
• Have a thick layer of healthy enamel (we need to shave a bit to place the veneer)
• Consult with Dr. Rozenberg about aesthetic goals
• Have realistic expectations

If your smile needs a pick-me-up, and you’re wondering about your options, contact Rozenberg Dental NYC to learn more about the benefits of veneers. Give our office a call at 212-265-7724, or book your consultation online today.