Veneers can improve the appearance of your smile but before being able to decide whether to get porcelain or composite resin veneers, most patients want to know how long do veneers last. Let’s evaluate which kind of veneers would complement your cosmetic dentistry needs.
What Are Dental Veneers?
Dental veneers are thin shells or covers, designed to cover the surface of your tooth. While they are quite thin and fragile on their own, they become very strong once they are bonded to the front of your teeth with dental cement.
Veneers are used for an array of cosmetic dentistry corrections including:
- Broken teeth
- Chipped, cracked or fractured teeth
- Misshapen or small teeth
- Discoloured teeth
While veneers can strengthen the teeth, they are considered a cosmetic improvement. Dental veneers can be applied to one tooth, which often occurs in the case of damage to the tooth surface, or they may be used to make the front four or six teeth look uniform. When teeth do not respond to teeth whitening, veneers can be used to improve the colour of discoloured teeth.
Veneers can be made from porcelain or composite resin. Your dental practitioner will match the colour of your dental veneers to the rest of the teeth in your mouth for an even and natural looking result. Your dental needs and budget will determine which kind of veneer is best for your smile.
Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are used most commonly in cosmetic dentistry because they create the most natural-looking effect. Porcelain reflects light very similarly to your natural teeth and is more difficult to distinguish. This type requires more preparation and take longer to produce than composite resin.
In order to get your smile ready for dental veneers, your dentist must first file away a small amount of your tooth, and often goes below the dental enamel. This ensures that the veneers can fit comfortably into your mouth and is usually done under anaesthetic to make the experience more comfortable.
Once the enamel has been filed down, your dentist will take an impression of your teeth, for the veneers to be created. The impressions will be sent off to a dental laboratory and may take a week or two to be crafted.
Porcelain veneers are the costliest and most time-consuming option but they do also last the longest.
No Prep Veneers
If you would like your veneers completed in one session you can opt for composite resin or no-prep veneers as they are also referred to. These dental veneers are created in your dentist’s office and can be placed on the same day. This makes them ideal for teeth that have been damaged, cracked or chipped as it is a quick way to address a problem. These veneers usually only require a small amount of dental enamel to be removed.
How Long Do Dental Veneers Last?
Most dentists will tell you that the lifespan of your veneers is directly linked to how you look after them. Porcelain veneers have the longest lifespan and can last for more than ten to 15 years with good care. No prep veneers have a shorter lifespan and last for between five to seven years.
How To Get Your Veneers To Last Longer?
Good dental hygiene and habits can extend the lifespan of your porcelain veneers. In order to get maximum wear you should not
- Chew or bite down on hard substances like peanut brittle and ice
- Chew or bite continually – for example biting your nails
- Avoid grinding or clenching your teeth. If you do grind or clench at night while you are asleep you should invest in a high quality mouth guard to protect your veneers
- Don’t forget your basic dental hygiene rules of brushing and flossing twice a day
- If you are a smoker you will want to quit because veneers cannot be bleached with teeth whitening products, so you must avoid discolouration where possible.
You should do everything you can to make your veneers last for as long as possible. When it is time to replace it, your dentist will need to remove more of your tooth substance. Of course, if you do this too often, you can wear your teeth down a lot so it’s best to get maximum longevity from your veneers.
If you still have questions about how long do veneers last or what you can do to improve the aesthetics of your smile, it’s time to speak to a cosmetic dentist. Please contact us for a confidential and convenient appointment: (02) 8203 8760.
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