Can Veneers Treat Crooked Teeth?

When you look in a mirror, does your focus immediately go to those imperfections in your smile? For most people, the answer is yes, because very few people are born with flawless, perfectly aligned teeth.

Fortunately, dental veneers can address a range of teeth imperfections, says our own Dr. Meriem Boukadoum at 54th Street Dental. Here, Dr. Boukadoum explains what veneers are and how you can use them to cover up those flaws that stare back at you from the mirror.

Dental veneers explained

Let’s begin with a review of dental veneers, a cosmetic dentistry option. Specifically, veneers are thin pieces of porcelain or composite resin that are custom made for each patient to cover up those minor tooth imperfections. 

If the whole thing sounds a little like something a makeup artist would do in Hollywood, you’re not far off the mark.

The use of veneers dates back to the late 1920s in Hollywood. The “Dentist to the Stars,” Charles L. Pincus, DDS, fixed smile imperfections for famous actors like James Dean, Shirley Temple, and Judy Garland.

As if an expedited treatment time isn’t enough, veneers can address a plethora of teeth flaws, making it the ultimate do-over. 

Veneers are commonly used to cover up stained teeth that can’t be whitened, as well as broken, chipped, worn, misshapen or unevenly spaced teeth. Mildly crooked teeth can even get a makeover with veneers.

Only two appointments away from your best smile

Unlike other cosmetic procedures that have a longer treatment time, the process to get veneers takes only two appointments. It plays out similarly to what it’s like to get a crown placed. 

During your first appointment, after Dr. Boukadoum gives you a local anesthetic, she thins or shaves a tiny layer of your enamel from the front surface of the tooth or teeth that are getting the veneers. 

The next step is to take a series of impressions or molds and do a color match so your veneers perfectly match your surrounding teeth. Dr. Boukadoum sends all of this data to a dental laboratory that fabricates your custom veneers.

In about two or three weeks, your veneers return from the lab, and you come in for your second and final appointment. Dr. Boukadoum double-checks the fit, and when she is sure everything is correct, she cements or bonds the veneers to the front surface of the teeth. 

Then off you go to begin your life again with your best smile ever. Talk about Hollywood endings! 

Looks natural and lasts long

Except, that’s not where the story ends. Since veneers are made from material that closely mimics the luminosity of natural teeth, they look so natural you’ll almost forget what they’re covering, and no one will be the wiser. Don’t worry, we won’t tell! 

The benefits don’t stop there, though. With good oral care, including brushing at least twice a day, flossing regularly, and visiting the 54th Street Dental team every six months for a cleaning and exam, your veneers can last a decade or longer.

If you’re ready to finally get that smile you only thought was possible in your dreams, get started today. Contact us today by requesting an appointment here on our website, or you can call our office in the Midtown West neighborhood of New York City at 212-333-3200.