We’re not saying that getting porcelain veneers in Winnipeg will set you on a path to Hollywood, but you never know, right? What’s the connection between veneers from a dentist in Winnipeg and a potential star on the Walk of Fame?
Veneers were invented by Hollywood dentist to the star, Dr. Charlie Pincus, who was looking for a quick and temporary way to make Hollywood stars’ smiles brighter and more beautiful. Pincus did that by placing false fronts onto actors’ own teeth while they shot scenes. In the 1960s, the development of etching and adhesive solutions for dental purposes brought permanently perfect smiles within reach of stars, starlets and Winnipeggers alike.
What are veneers used for today?
Many people consider getting dental veneer treatment near you to address both cosmetic and structural problems with teeth. Porcelain veneers in Winnipeg are thin shells that are placed on prepared teeth to cover flaws and to redefine the size, shape, spacing and appearance of your own flawed teeth. Here are some of the issues that veneers can address:
- Cracked and chipped teeth
- Misaligned teeth, but not major misalignment that should be dealt with through orthodontic treatment
- Gapped or inconsistently spaced teeth
- Discoloured teeth, especially if the discolouration can’t be eliminated with a whitening treatment
Who is a good candidate for veneers?
To determine if you’re a good candidate for getting porcelain veneers in Winnipeg, you should arrange a consultation with a dentist near you. The dentist will examine the health of your gums and underlying teeth to make sure that they can support a porcelain veneer and that the tooth is healthy enough to warrant cosmetic investments of time and money. The presence of underlying issues might not disqualify you but might cause your dentist to recommend some improvements to your oral health before investing in veneers. Here are the four main criteria for identifying good candidates for veneers:
- If you have generally good oral and gum health, or your oral and gum health can be improved
- You have a clear understanding of your goals and reasonable expectations related to cosmetic dentistry
- You are willing to commit to maintaining excellent daily dental hygiene habits after getting veneers
- You have sufficient enamel on your teeth to allow the staff at your dental clinic in Winnipeg to remove a small amount to make room for your veneer
What are prep-less or no-prep veneers?
We mentioned above that your dentist will remove a small amount of enamel before your porcelain veneers are placed. That’s true with traditional porcelain veneers in Winnipeg so that: the veneers will sit flushly and securely against the surface of the tooth, and so the veneer won’t add any perceptible bulk to your tooth.
The need to remove some enamel from your own tooth is one of the downsides of veneers, but one that your dentist may be able to manage by recommending prep-less or no-prep veneers. Prep-less or no-prep veneers are identical to porcelain veneers except that they require less — or even no — material to be removed from your own tooth before they’re placed. This has the benefit of preserving your own tooth structure and reducing the risk of increased tooth sensitivity following the placement of veneers.
Prep-less and no-prep veneers are not appropriate for everyone, though. You should know that they tend to be more transparent than traditional veneers (because they’re thinner) and may not be suitable if your teeth are proportionally large.
To determine if you’re a good candidate for veneers and if getting veneers is a good step toward accomplishing your cosmetic dentistry goals, contact a dental clinic in Winnipeg for an assessment. Oscars, here we come!