Unfortunately, one of the most common questions people ask about veneers is whether they can be altered after they’ve been placed. Many patients come to us with this question after getting their veneers done at another office and they’re unhappy with the results.
Very little can be done to alter veneers after they’ve been placed. Usually, the only solution is to remove them and replace them with more attractive veneers. That’s why it’s critical to get your veneers right the first time.
What We Can Do to Alter Veneers
As we said, there’s very little we can do to change veneers once they’ve been placed. Sometimes, if they’re too long, we can shave a little off the top. But it depends on the type of the veneers. Some veneers are easier to reshape than others, and there’s always a risk that vibrations from the process could crack the veneer, either immediately or later during use. No matter what, not much can be removed from the top of the veneers, so it’s best to avoid this problem in the first place.
In addition, we can do a little to perform minor changes to the shape of the veneers. We can reduce the prominence of a sharp canine. We can round the corners of very square veneers. But these are minor changes. Again, it’s better to make sure that veneers will achieve your cosmetic goals before they are placed.
However, there is little we can do about the thickness of the veneer or the color. Veneers are stain resistant by design. They keep out discoloring agents, so they can stay white for decades when treated properly. So we can’t darken them and we can’t whiten them. If we try to thin the veneer, they are very likely to break. In addition, we’d be removing the polished and glazed surface of the veneers, what gives them their stain resistance and attractive luster.
How to Get Veneers Right the First time
So if little can be done to change veneers after they’re placed, how can you make sure you get them right the first time? Here are three key steps:
- Choose your cosmetic dentist carefully: Your cosmetic dentist will make all the difference in the quality of your results. They will design the veneers, prepare your teeth, communicate with the dental lab, evaluate the finished veneers, and place them on your teeth. The right dentist can avoid pitfalls at each of these steps so that you get the best results from your veneers.
- Invest in quality veneers: Veneers can be made from many different materials. Some of these materials just don’t look very natural, and there’s nothing we can be done about the color or luster of these materials. Some of the veneer materials aren’t very strong, so the veneers have to be thick, which can contribute to a bulky appearance. While we’re on the subject of bulky veneers, remember that prepless veneers, which are bonded to your teeth without modification, rarely work well. Usually they make your teeth look bulky. An experienced cosmetic dentist will be able to tell you if your teeth will do well with this type of veneer.
- Communicate with your dentist: Many of the problems with veneers come up because people didn’t communicate with their cosmetic dentist. Tell your dentist that you want your teeth very bright–or if you don’t. Mention the shape of teeth you’re looking for and whether you want prominent canines or not. Dentists are very skilled at working with teeth, but they’re not mind readers. They can’t give you the results you want if you don’t tell them what you want.
If you follow these three steps, you’re likely to get the beautiful smile you’ve been dreaming of. And then you can enjoy the durability and stain resistance of your veneers and not lament that they hard to modify.
Are You Looking for Veneers in Rockland County?
If you are unhappy with your smile and want to learn more about getting veneers in Rockland County, cosmetic dentist Dr. Mark Dunayer can help. He has decades of experience helping people achieve beautiful smiles they loved, and he can help you.
Please call (845) 627-7645 today for an appointment at B & D Dental Excellence in West Nyack.
