Dentistry is one of the few professions which isn’t in some way, dogged by nostalgia. Whilst music fans may long for vinyl records and the days when MTV still played music, few people are ever heard wishing we could return to the days before anaesthetics or when movie stars removed all their teeth so they could wear flashy dentures. The Hollywood starlets of today, thank goodness, have a much less extreme path to pearly whites: Veneers! Many celebrities from current music starlets to Hollywood actors wear them, but what exactly are they?
What are Veneers?
Just as in carpentry where a veneer can spruce up a slightly dull looking table, so a dental veneer can spruce up slightly dulled teeth. Veneers are essentially wafer thin shells of material which are bonded to your teeth. They can cover up any blemishes and can instantly give the appearance of a perfect smile. They are often referred to as the mouth’s equivalent of false nails.
Porcelain or composite?
Veneers tend to be made of either porcelain or composite material, but we at Devonshire Square Smile Studio in the city of London recommend porcelain veneers. Porcelain veneers are more natural in appearance, are less prone to staining and more resilient than composite veneers. Composite veneers are cheaper, but their lack of durability can make porcelain veneers more economic in the long run.
What are veneers best suited for?
If your teeth are stained, damaged or plagued by unsightly gaps, then veneers might be just the thing for you! Although not ideal, they can also be used to cover up mildly crooked teeth in a process nicknamed ‘instant orthodontics’.
A typical procedure
Following a consultation, your teeth will need to be prepared for the veneers; a miniscule part of your teeth’s front surface will have to be shaved off in order to accommodate the veneers. An imprint of your teeth will then be fashioned, which will be posted to a lab. The lab will then produce your veneers, which may take a few weeks. Whilst you wait for the veneers proper, you will most likely be fitted with temporary ones. This isn’t always necessary however, as the treatment is quite minor. Once the real deal arrives, your veneers will then be properly fitted.


