Can You Get Veneers with Missing Teeth?
There is a wealth of blogs, articles, and information on the internet regarding the different treatment options patients have available for replacing messing teeth. Given the abundance of information to sort through, it can be confusing and overwhelming for patients to determine which treatments are even viable options.
Veneers may be one of the dental treatments that people may have read about. This brief will discuss what veneers are, what they can be used to remedy, and why they are not a viable option for people that need to replace one or more missing teeth.
Veneers Overview
Used to enhance cosmetic appearances, dental veneers are thin shells that are permanently bonded to the front surfaces of teeth. Veneers are typically made of composite resins or porcelain that are color matched to the patient’s natural teeth for a seamless blend.
Veneers are often chosen to correct a host of cosmetic concerns such as cracked, chipped, broken, discolored, or abnormally small teeth. In some situations, such as with a broken or chipped tooth, patients get one veneer but frequently, six to eight veneers are placed to create a more symmetrical appearance. In fact, veneers are applied to the upper front eight teeth most often.
Although dental veneers are most frequently made out of porcelain, applying traditional dental veneers requires extensive preparation. When placing a traditional dental veneer, grinding down the tooth layers below the enamel is often necessary. While this allows proper placement of the veneer, it cannot be reversed, may be uncomfortable, and typically requires local anesthesia during the procedure.
As an alternative, no-prep veneers do not need much, or any, preparation or alteration of the tooth. In lieu of grinding away layers under the enamel, no-prep veneers only impact the outer layer and generally do not call for anesthesia during placement.
Benefits of Dental Veneers
It should be clear by now that dental veneers are not options for replacing missing teeth. Rather, veneers are placed to enhance the aesthetics of existing teeth giving the patient a more symmetrical and brighter smile. The following cosmetic issues are commonly corrected by using dental veneers:
- A chipped or broken tooth
- Tooth discoloration that is unresponsive to whitening methods
- Gaps between teeth
- Teeth that are abnormally small
- Teeth that are pointed or unusually shaped
- Dental veneers can last ten or more years depending on which type is chosen.
How to Care for Veneers Once Placed
Unlike the time associated with some other dental treatments, dental veneers do not have a lengthy recovery process. Once they have been adhered to the patient’s teeth, and any anesthesia subsides, the patient is able to resume speaking and eating the way they normally would.
A traditional porcelain veneer typically has a lifespan of between 10 to 15 years while no-prep versions last five to seven years. To help maximize the longevity of veneers, the following precautions should be adhered to:
- Avoid chewing hard items
- The teeth should not be used to remove tags or open packages
- When possible, avoid chewing with the front teeth
- Wearing a protective mouthguard at night if grinding or clenching the teeth are habits