Dental veneers are castings placed on top of the teeth and can be extremely durable if they are maintained well. Veneers are also a popular and effective way to enhance the appearance of your smile and improve the appearance of your teeth. If you have a broken or chipped tooth, gaps between the front teeth, white spots on your teeth, or discolored teeth, then you may consider getting dental veneers.
Veneers are attached to the front of the tooth for aesthetic issues or to cover up the damage. Thus, many teenagers and young people are considering dental veneers to correct their aesthetic issues. Read on to find out what the right age for dental veneers is and other factors that affect if you should opt for dental veneers.
Your Age
There is no specific age for you to take dental veneers. However, a rough recommendation would be 18 years and older, or when you have reached physical maturity and no longer have any baby teeth. Dentists will usually make sure that you have stopped growing and that your teeth are no longer developing before mounting veneers to your teeth. This is because a tooth that is developing or still moving may cause significant pain and stress.
You may also be unable to eat the foods that you like because of your developing and growing teeth. If veneers are mounted onto teeth that are still developing, the pain will be multiplied and the veneer may be damaged.
This may require going for more expensive replacement options and compromise the natural development of your teeth. Dental veneers are thus best suited for young adults who are no longer growing and whose teeth are fully developed.
Dental Trauma History
The dentist will also examine your oral history to check if you have any history of serious dental trauma. This is important because if your tooth is damaged beyond repair and only the root is compromised or exposed, then even a dental veneer may be unable to protect your tooth from long-term damage and you may have to opt for more invasive dental surgeries such as a dental implant.
Although dental veneers help to cover chipped, broken, or damaged teeth, they are not a suitable option for more serious dental problems and a person with a history of dental trauma.
Oral Health Check
Before getting dental veneers, you have to go for an oral health check by a dentist to ensure that the veneers are the appropriate dental solution for your teeth. The dentist is also able to comprehensively assess the structure of your teeth, gums, mouth and the extent of damage of the chipped or damaged tooth.
This helps the doctor to plan well for the dental veneer and ensure that the veneer implantation is successful. The dentist will also check for any cavities, gum disease, gum issues, and other oral health problems to ascertain that your teeth and gums are ready and safe for the veneer implantation.
This is because gum disease or cavities will compromise the integrity of the veneers and result in serious infections if they are not addressed before mounting the veneers. There may also be higher chances of risks and complications if your oral health is not checked and teeth problems are not resolved properly.