No two denturists are the same. If you have been wearing dentures for a while, you know that no two sets of dentures are the same. Finding a quality, experienced denturist can seriously impact the comfort of your dentures. You do not have to deal with loose plates, gums that are rubbed raw, distorted speech, and the inability to eat your favorite foods. If you have any of these problems, there are a few things that you can try before replacing your dentures. Use what I have learned over my 15 years of wearing dentures to find a perfect fit and optimum comfort in your dentures.
finding comfort when wearing dentures
Why You Should Consider Painless Veneers For A Whiter Smile
Priscilla Hansen
While professional teeth whitening can give your smile fantastic results, it's only worth it if you can avoid staining substances. If you smoke or drink a lot of coffee, tea, or wine, then you may just be undoing the procedure and dropping money down the drain. If you want teeth whitening that will last, you may want to consider veneers. Unlike enamel, veneers do not stain because they aren't porous. If this sounds like a good option, ask your dentist about painless veneers.
Isn't the Veneer Procedure Already Pain-free?
It's true that veneer application is minimally invasive; however, in order for your dentist to place the veneers on your teeth, he or she must shave a small portion of your enamel off. In order to shave the enamel, the dentist will need to give you shots of local anesthetic. Painless veneers, on the other hand, do not require any painful anesthetic since the dentist won't be shaving down the teeth.
Why Aren't Teeth Shaved?
For other veneer placements, minimal enamel shaving is required to make sure the restorations fit perfectly. However, painless veneers are about as thick as a contact lens, meaning they can snap on teeth much easier. Of course, your dentist will still need to apply some abrasive material or do moderate etching for the veneer adhesive to stick.
What's the Procedure Like?
The application of painless veneers is very similar to regular veneers, except you will skip the anesthetic and shaving portion. The basic steps are as follows:
- You will have a mold taken of your teeth, which will be sent to a lab
- Customized veneers will be made at the lab based off the mold
- You will go in for your appointment and your dentist will clean your teeth and apply etching gel
- After the etching gel is dry, he or she will apply a bonding agent and cement the veneers to your teeth.
You can often get a whiter smile in just two appointments.
So Are There Any Caveats?
Of course, even though painless veneers aren't porous, they can stain at the edges after about five years. So having veneers doesn't mean that you can go nuts with staining foods and beverages or let go of good oral hygiene. However, this method of whitening teeth does last a long time, so if you do get staining at the edges over time, you can always replace your veneers.
Another caveat is that painless veneers are usually better for people with fairly uniform teeth. If you have major gaps or chips, then dental bonding and tooth whitening may be better. If your teeth are too crooked, then it may be too difficult to place the veneers without shaving the teeth down. Otherwise, you could have veneers that look too large for your mouth.
Talk with your cosmetic dentist for more information on painless veneers and teeth whitening options.
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