Veneers

Veneers have been around for almost 100 years. Actors used to ask dentists to make their smiles look better for their filming careers. Unfortunately, at that time, there was not a way to keep the veneers on the teeth permanently. Eventually, better bonding agents were developed to allow veneers to be attached permanently to teeth. Since then, they have become popular in correcting problems with stained or gapped teeth and fixing chipped or misshapen teeth.

Veneers are thin shells of tooth-colored material that can help change the color, shape, size, or length of a tooth. The veneer is bonded directly to the front of a tooth and is manufactured to match the color of the surrounding teeth.

The type of veneer recommended for your teeth will depend on the location in the mouth and patient expectations. Either type of veneer will require less tooth enamel removal than other types of tooth restoration. Dr. Keyes will help you decide which type is the best for you.

The two types of veneers are porcelain and composite resin.

• Porcelain veneers resist staining better and are custom fit and color-matched to the tooth. Porcelain lasts a long time and is very strong.

• Composite resin is a tooth-colored material that is less expensive than porcelain and takes fewer office visits to apply (typically just one visit). Even though they are more prone to chipping, they are easily fixed if damaged.

See Dr. Keyes to improve your smile today.