In some ways, dental veneers in Dearborn are a shortcut to more perfect teeth. Veneers can eliminate flaws like broken and chipped teeth; teeth discolored in ways that can’t be bleached or whitened away; inconsistent or wide spaces between teeth; unusually small or inconsistently sized teeth; and unusually or inconsistently shaped teeth. You can get veneers from a dental clinic near you to correct flaws in a single tooth or completely renovate and redefine your smile by covering all the teeth in your smile zone with new veneers.
Can you take shortcuts in your daily dental hygiene habits while wearing veneers? But just how short a shortcut are they? Here’s one question we often get from people considering obtaining dental veneers near you: Will I still be at risk of developing cavities?
How veneers work
Understanding more about how veneers work makes the answer to the question obvious.
Veneers cover the face of bad teeth. The veneer hides flaws and imperfections behind a shield that extends from the complete width and length of your tooth. A dentist near you will cement a porcelain or resin shell onto a tooth that (in the case of traditional veneers) has had a thin layer of enamel removed to make room for the veneer and to ensure a good fit. No-prep veneers require less material to be removed — or none — but work the same way.
Here’s what veneers do not do, though. Veneers do not eliminate bacteria from your mouth. Neither do they prevent the accumulation of starches, sugars and acids in your mouth from the foods you eat. Suppose you let those bacteria, starches, sugars and acids accumulate in your mouth by not brushing and flossing them away regularly. In that case, veneers won’t prevent the biological processes that produce plaque, tartar and tooth decay.
Yes, you can develop cavities with veneers
Underneath every veneer is a natural tooth. Veneers are not like dental crowns that completely encase a tooth. The reverse side of a tooth covered with a veneer is still made up of your unprotected enamel. Suppose you allow bacteria, starches, sugars and acids to accumulate to the point that plaque and tartar are produced in your mouth. In that case, the back side of your veneered tooth is prime real estate for accumulating those engines of tooth decay. So are the surfaces and edges of adjacent teeth that veneers may not shield.
Tooth decay beginning in the rear of a veneered tooth can destroy enamel and other layers of your tooth and, as it creates a cavity in that tooth, can extend so far that it will threaten the integrity of that tooth. Your veneer may cover that cavity for so long as the tooth has enough structure to remain intact, but it won’t prevent tooth decay from destroying tooth tissue to the extent that the tooth may one day need to be pulled — veneer and all.
Veneers are not a shortcut to avoiding daily dental hygiene habits. Investing money in veneers to beautify your smile zone but following up on that investment by neglecting your oral hygiene will cause lost teeth — not to mention a complete waste of money. Thankfully, though, the best way to preserve your investment and prolong the life of your veneers and protect all of your teeth from tooth decay and cavities is the same way: brush your teeth twice daily, floss daily; have your teeth cleaned annually; attend dental check-ups twice a year; and receive all recommended dental treatment.
Have you got flaws in your teeth you want to eliminate? And other flawless teeth that you’d like to keep that way. The staff at a dental clinic in Dearborn can support your oral health by setting up a schedule of preventative treatments and cleanings to keep your smile white and bright for a lifetime.