Good, The Bad and The Ugly about Veneers

According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, in 2006 almost 600,000 cosmetic veneer procedures were performed in the United States. As the procedure becomes more popular, it’s important to distinguish the good, the bad and the ugly of veneer creation. Mitchell Dental Spa, Chicago’s premier dental spa located in Water Tower Place on Michigan Avenue, offers some important tips for those looking to upgrade their smile.

“The smile is the picture and a person’s face is the frame,” says General Manager Jeff Doan. “It is crucial to look at each aspect of a person’s face to optimize the realistic look of their veneers.”

Creating the perfect veneers is a very involved process that needs personalization to achieve a realistic-looking smile. Doan says that it is important to recognize that each patient’s mouth structure is different and looking at the patient’s face shape, lip fullness, texture and size of the teeth and mouth is key to achieve for the perfect smile.

Doan offers some advice on veneers for those who want to be an expert on the subject before saying ‘Ah’:

• Mismatched Color – Good veneers should complement the patient’s skin color and eye color. Cheaper veneers are often too white or the top and bottom rows of teeth are not the same color, making it easy to point out a faux smile.
• Uneven Steven – Poorly installed veneers can cause an uneven bite, which can lead to problems with chewing and problems with the patient’s jaw. Good veneers should feel natural in the patient’s mouth and fit without effecting the bite or smile.
• Bad fit – Good veneers should fit over the patient’s teeth and feel natural. Poorly done veneers often crack if the dentist does not shape of the tooth correctly before fitting the new veneers to the patient’s teeth.
• Texture – Cheap veneers often mimic bathroom tiles rather than human teeth. The best veneers look like real teeth and dentists should pay special attention to tooth shape and texture during the creation process.