How can I preview what my new veneers will look like?
Getting new veneers to enhance your smile is like buying new shoes, you want to try them on first and see how they look. With today’s ever growing technology in dentistry, there are several ways to do this. First is cosmetic dental imaging.
With computers and specialized software programs, dentists can virtually create the size and shape of your teeth, adjust colors and brightness and also straighten and close the spaces that are between your teeth all on the computer screen. The possibilities are endless.
Using this method has its downsides as well. Although it is a great way to see the various options and what the results might look like, the final outcome may not be compatible with your bite and the gums and bones that support your teeth. You see, with computers you can make the teeth look any way you want, but the ability to actually achieve that result and how they actually function could be a whole different story.
Another method involves the dentist placing bonding composite directly onto your tooth. The dentist shapes a moldable composite directly on the tooth so that you can get an idea of how the final veneer will look, feel, and function. When done this way, the material is easily removed and there is no damage done to the tooth. This method is perfect to preview simple cases, but when it comes to the more complex cases it is best to go with the cosmetic dental imaging or the traditional method that uses models of your teeth.
This traditional method has been around for a long time. Molds are taken so that models of your teeth can be made. The models are then reshaped or built up with wax for you to see what the outcome will look like. What’s new and unique is that this new smile design can then be transferred onto your teeth for visualization.
In summary, all three methods give you a visual sense of what a great looking smile could look like. The last two methods also allow you to preview and sense how these new veneers might feel like in your own mouth. But, just like shoes, you won’t truly know how they will feel and function on a day-to-day basis. Only by consulting with your dentist, and through his knowledge and expertise, can he help guide you so that the final design not only looks great but also functions well too.
