There are many different professional dental applications that can change the look of your teeth. Cosmetic dentistry focuses on the appearance of the teeth without sacrificing dental health.

One popular cosmetic dental application is the veneer. Dental veneers can be installed on the front surface of the teeth to hide blemishes and imperfections. Here are a few ways that dental veneers may be able to help the look of your teeth:

Dental veneers can make your teeth appear straighter.

Teeth that are crooked can appear straighter and more even after veneers have been installed. Since the veneers lie on the front surface of the teeth, their application can cover overlaps, gaps and misalignments.

Before the veneers are applied to the teeth, the teeth are debrided or shaped so that the veneers can fit securely in place and offer a uniform appearance to the front of the teeth. Although veneers may not work as well for severe cases of misalignment, they can effectively correct moderate cases.

Dental veneers can make your teeth appear white.

Although bleaching treatments can improve tooth color, a patient's natural teeth may never achieve a pure white color. For the brightest teeth, it is best to consider veneers.

Veneers can be selected in the whitest shades that are available. Since the veneers cover the surface of the teeth, the underlying discoloration is not seen.

Some people suffer from discoloration that cannot be altered chemically. Dental staining that stems from a birth defect or a blow to the teeth cannot be whitened with a peroxide-based bleaching agent. In addition, stains from the side effects of certain drugs do not respond to chemical whitening. Dental veneers can be used to whiten any type of discoloration, regardless of the source.

Dental veneers can improve the look of teeth that are broken or cracked.

Sometimes, a tooth can crack or chip away due to bite pressure from bruxism, the force of a blow or the consumption of a hard piece of candy. Regardless of how a chip or crack occurs, as long as it does not compromise the health of a tooth, it can be corrected with a veneer.

Since it is likely that only one tooth is cracked or chipped at a time, a single veneer may be enough to restore the look of the patient's smile. The veneer can be matched to the color of the other teeth in the patient's mouth and the contours and fit can also be customized for the patient. As a result, the repaired tooth is not noticeable.

To learn more ways that veneers can benefit you, schedule a consultation with a dentist in your area, such as Russell M Morrell DMD.