Porcelain veneers aren’t the only way to improve your smile’s appearance. In fact, many people can achieve the smile improvement they seek by simply whitening away teeth stains or bonding a chipped edge of a tooth. However, patients at our Auburn Hills dental office often benefit from one or more custom-made veneers when a simple touchup isn’t enough to address their concerns.
When you can’t whiten your teeth stains
Teeth stains are usually easy to erase because they typically develop on the surfaces of your teeth (known as extrinsic staining). The colorful molecules that cling to your tooth enamel can often be erased with a quick, comfortable, professional teeth-whitening treatment. However, if your tooth stains developed within the tooth structure instead of on top of it, then you may need a more involved option like porcelain veneers to correct them.
When you can’t bond a chip or crack
In addition to whitening stains, you also have several minimally invasive options for correcting blemishes like chipped tooth edges or lightly cracked surfaces. Tooth bonding, for instance, is the application of tooth-colored composite resin to the area, and is often recommended in order to preserve a maximum amount of tooth structure. Yet, if the chip or crack is significant, then you may need to place a porcelain veneer over the tooth to successfully restore it.
When you don’t need to cap the tooth
On the other hand, sometimes veneers can be the more conservative alternative. For example, if your tooth is damaged or severely blemished, then the traditional option may be to cap it with a dental crown. However, in some cases, you may be able to restore the tooth’s health and appearance with a custom-made porcelain veneer, which can help you minimize the amount of tooth structure that your dentist has to prepare before treatment.
Find out if porcelain veneers are your best option
If your smile needs more than just a simple touchup, then find out if porcelain veneers are a better option for improving it. For more information, schedule an appointment or initial consultation by calling Advanced Dental Concepts in Auburn Hills, MI today at (248) 852-1820.
