Do Veneers Ruin Your Teeth?

Veneers are the second most commonly performed cosmetic dental treatment in the United States. They are thin shells that can be made of porcelain or composite resin, although most people generally choose porcelain for its stain-resistant properties. Even though they are an extremely popular treatment, some people still have concerns about what veneers do to their teeth. Specifically, some people worry that getting veneers can ruin their teeth. 

Oftentimes, this belief centers around the process used to apply veneers. Just like any other dental treatment, the affected teeth will need to be prepared in a certain way. With veneers, the teeth are prepared by shaving off a thin layer of tooth enamel. This is because the veneer shell adds thickness to the tooth that could impair the bite and make the tooth look bulky and unnatural. To prevent these things from happening, a thin layer of enamel is removed to ensure the veneer will fit flawlessly over the tooth. 

However since tooth enamel cannot grow back once it has been removed, many people assume that the preparation for veneers ruins their teeth. The truth is that veneers do not ruin your teeth, but they are a permanent treatment. What this means is that once you get veneers, you will need to keep them in place until they wear out, then you will need to have them replaced. This is simply because enamel does not grow back, so the tooth surface has been permanently altered for veneers. 

Instead of ruining your teeth, veneers are actually able to improve the appearance of your teeth. In fact, having veneers placed can correct: 

• Crooked or overlapping teeth
• Teeth with gaps between them
• Stained or discolored teeth
• Chipped or cracked teeth
• Unevenly sized teeth
• Oddly shaped teeth
• Teeth that are too small
• Worn down teeth

In addition to improving the look of your teeth, veneers can also improve the function of your teeth and improve your oral health. For example, unevenly sized teeth can make it difficult to bite and chew properly, so getting veneers to even out your teeth can make it easier. Not only that, but crooked teeth are more likely to succumb to tooth decay since they are hard to clean, so correcting crooked teeth can improve your oral health. 

Although traditional veneers will not ruin your teeth, there is also the option of low-prep or no-prep veneers. These types of veneers are extremely thin and are thinner than traditional porcelain veneers. Since they are so thin, this means that even less tooth enamel is removed. In some cases, you may not even need to have any enamel removed.

Overall, veneers themselves do not ruin your teeth. However it is important to make sure that you see an experienced dentist when considering having veneers placed. While veneers do not ruin teeth, a bad dentist placing veneers can. Therefore, be sure to do your research before selecting a cosmetic dentist to place your veneers.