For many people, the sight of discoloured, misshapen or damaged teeth can cause low self-esteem and frustration. Smiling for numerous selfies and social media moments can start to affect your levels of happiness, when you don’t want to smile and reveal your teeth, but have people wielding camera phones in your direction all the time.
Aside from the aesthetics, you may also be experiencing pain from damaged teeth, which will need addressing as soon as possible to allow you to eat and drink properly again. One treatment that some patients turn to is veneers in London. There are two types of veneers, which are composite and porcelain veneers.
What is composite bonding?
Composite bonding is used for less serious damage to teeth, and for minor rectification of aesthetic imperfections.
It involves a dentist preparing the surface of the tooth by roughening it up and applying a dental moisturiser to it to help the resin to bond with the tooth. They then apply the dental resin and shape it as required. After shining a blue light over it, it is hard, but it can still be shaped and smoothed for the finishing touches.
The resin is chosen to match your existing enamel colour and wouldn’t be used for a full smile makeover if you want to lighten and brighten your teeth. It takes about 30 minutes to do a tooth and, so full sets are not normally addressed with composite bonding.
With only 1 appointment required, it means that you can get an improved smile in time for an important event, without the need for a return visit.
Composite bonding should last for around 10 years, as long as you look after it with regular visits to the dentist and cleaning your teeth twice a day – remember to keep flossing too! Although it is not as resilient as porcelain veneers, it should last as long as you also avoid crunching on very hard foods or biting your fingernails.
What are porcelain veneers?
Porcelain veneers are – you’ve guessed it! – made of porcelain, which is a resilient material and should last around 15 years. Your dentist will get the shape and measurements of your teeth that are being treated and will send them away to the ceramist for them to be manufactured.
In the meantime, during the first appointment, you will also have the teeth being treated with porcelain veneers prepared. This involves taking away the very top layer of enamel, so that it is rough and will allow the porcelain veneers to be stuck to them with dental glue, like a false fingernail.
The porcelain veneers are very thin, so they will be streamlined, when they arrive. In the meantime, you will have temporary veneers attached.
Porcelain veneers can be used for smile makeovers, changing the appearance of all of the teeth that are visible, when you smile if you wish. Once you have had them fitted, you will then always have to have porcelain veneers, so you need to be certain that this is the right treatment for you before you pursue it.
Initial consultation
To identify the right treatment, make an appointment with a dentist who offers veneers to discuss the treatment options. If you do decide to have either composite bonding or veneers, you could have a dazzling smile in no time!
