Having a great-looking smile can certainly make you look more attractive, but knowing your teeth look their best does a lot more than that. Having straight, healthy-looking teeth can do wonders for your own self-confidence and self-esteem, and it can help others view you as more attractive and more confident too. While it would be great if we were all blessed with perfectly straight teeth and beautiful smiles, the fact is, most of us have some smile flaws that stand in the way of a gorgeous, confidence-boosting smile. Fortunately, at Eagle River Dental, we offer plenty of cosmetic options to correct those flaws and so you can feel and look your best.

While there are plenty of treatments to choose from, veneers are among the most popular cosmetic dentistry treatments, and for good reason: Veneers are easy to apply and they can usually be applied in just one office visit, using a state-of-the-art system called CEREC (Chairside Economical Restorations Esthetic Ceramic). CEREC uses state-of-the-art computer-aided design technology to capture three-dimensional images of your tooth, then uses those images to create a veneer that custom-shaped and custom-tinted for you. The process is completed in just one visit, so your dentist can place your new veneer on your tooth right away.

What can veneers correct?

Today’s veneers are completely natural-looking, making them ideal for treating a wide array of cosmetic issues.

Crooked teeth

Crooked teeth are common, especially among people with relatively small mouths. When your adult teeth emerge, they need a certain amount of room to come in straight. If your mouth is already crowded, teeth can wind up twisting or turning as they erupt from the gum. Because they’re placed on the surface of the tooth, a veneer can transform the way a crooked tooth looks, making it look more uniform so it blends with the rest of your teeth.

Teeth that are deeply stained

Although teeth whitening can help with superficial staining, stains that occur deep below the tooth surface won’t be affected by whitening treatments. That includes discoloration due to infection, disease, damaged tooth roots, root canals, and even some long-term medication use. Veneers can be tinted to perfectly match your neighboring teeth, hiding discoloration and restoring the appearance of a healthy, attractive smile.

Gaps between teeth

Gaps don’t just look unattractive; dark spaces between your teeth can make them look less healthy, and in some cases, you might even have an increased risk of tooth damage or decay. Veneers are ideal for closing small gaps between teeth, helping patients transform the appearance of their smiles while also improving the symmetry of their smiles.

Chipped, worn or cracked teeth

Veneers can be a good alternative to crowns for many teeth that have small chips or cracks, and for teeth with uneven or worn edges. Plus, not only can a veneer improve the way a chipped or cracked tooth looks, but by filling in cracks and stabilizing the tooth structure, they can also help prevent tooth decay and breakage.

Gummy smiles and teeth that look too small

By reshaping the appearance of your teeth, veneers can improve the proportions of your entire smile. Gummy smiles (smiles where a lot of gum is exposed) or teeth that look too small in proportion to your smile or the rest of your face can be easily corrected with veneers, which are custom-shaped specifically for your needs. Plus, they can be tinted to the shade you want, so your smile always looks picture-perfect.

Poorly aligned teeth

For people with crooked teeth, braces used to be the only way to get a beautiful, healthy-looking smile. But today, veneers can be used to help you get the cosmetic results you’re looking for. While veneers aren’t designed to move your teeth into proper alignment like orthodontic treatment does, they can correct the way your teeth look. When veneers are applied to the front surfaces of poorly aligned teeth, they can help those teeth look straight and evenly spaced, so you can enjoy the appearance of straight teeth without orthodontic treatment. Of course, if your crooked teeth are interfering with your bite balance or your oral hygiene, orthodontic treatment may be a better option.

Are veneers right for you?

Veneers are made of durable porcelain ceramic material, so they don’t just look great; they’re also super-durable, and with proper oral hygiene, you can expect your veneer to last for a decade or more. At Eagle River Dental, our dentists are skilled in creating beautiful, natural-looking veneers to help our patients look and feel more attractive and confident. To learn more about veneers and to find out if they can help you get a  more beautiful smile, book an appointment online today.