Dental veneers are a modern dental miracle.

Nobody likes to have a discoloured tooth, so here’s what you should do about it.

We carried out a little experiment in the MyDental surgery over the past few weeks, and I’m happy to share the results with you in this blog. We wanted to find out how much our patients knew about the various different forms of treatment that we offer, so we causally asked them to give us their understanding of a number of common treatment.
 

Strangely perhaps, they were most familiar with treatments that had more of a cosmetic treatment. For example, everybody seemed to be experts on the topic of tooth whitening, and could quote chapter and verse in terms of what it involved.
 

For other treatments, however, their knowledge was quite a bit sketchier – even for treatments like dental veneers which we wrongly thought were part of everyone’s dental lexicon.
 

In response to this research exercise, we’d like to use this blog to spell out what a veneer is – and how it’s put in place. A veneer is a very thin strip of material you're your dentist places over the damaged or discolured tooth. Typically, your veneers will either be a composite or dental porcelain variety.

A composite veneer has an advantage in that it can be built-up in the mouth for extra speed and convenience, or made by a dental technician and subsequently bonded to the affected tooth using a particularly powerful form of resin cement. A porcelain veneer, on the other hand, can only be fabricated in the lab by a qualified dental technician.
 

How long does it all take?

You’ll normally visit us initially for a consultation, and to allow us assess the problem and make sure you're a suitable candidate for a veneer. After that, there will be two further visits – the first of which is to remove a thin layer ofnenamel from the surface of the tooth in question.

On your final visit, we will bond the veneer to your tooth and can also make any minor adjustments that may be necessary.

How do I care for my veneer?

You’ll want to maximise the life of your veneer, and this is easy enough – just follow a good dental hygiene plan. You don’t have to treat the veneer any differently than your normal teeth – so just brush and floss as normal.

And while the veneer is impervious to decay, remember that decay can still happen at the base of the tooth, so be extra vigilant for the demon plaque.

What about the cost issue?

When it comes to veneers Ireland is one of the best places in the world to have your treatment. You’ll get great quality dental work, with excellent after-sales service and the ability to come back to us immediately in the event of any discomfort.
 

And if you're in the market for veneers Dublin has an extra attraction. If you have your work done here in MyDental, you can actually spread your costs over three to nine months thanks to our  0% Dental Finance Plan.
 

If you want to find out more about the topic of veneers, here’s a very fine article on the WebMD website - http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/veneers#1