When they’re done right, dental veneers can transform your smile and elevate your appearance overall. But when they’re done wrong, veneers can look too bright, too large, and too fake.
If you’ve ever seen those poorly crafted veneers, you may be reluctant to get your own for fear of winding up with a smile you’re unhappy with. But the truth is that there are some simple ways to avoid veneers that look fake, and it starts with understanding the art of natural-looking veneers.
What Are Veneers?
Dental veneers are a form of cosmetic dentistry capable of addressing a variety of minor issues with your front-facing teeth all at once. The veneer is a very thin tooth-shaped shell that can be made from a few different materials, including composite resin, ceramic, and porcelain.
These shells are fitted over your teeth, providing you with a brand-new, bright, and symmetrical smile.
What Makes Veneers Look Fake?
Odds are that you’ve seen veneers before that caught your eye for all the wrong reasons, but it’s also probably true that you’ve marveled at a beautiful smile before that you had no idea was a product of cosmetic dentistry. So what exactly is the difference between the two?
Too Bright
One of the most common aspects of fake-looking dental veneers is an almost blinding-white coloration. Whiter is not always better when it comes to veneers, and in fact, matching the shade of veneer with the white of the recipient’s eyes — as well as their skin tone — is more important than dialing up the brightness as highly as possible.
For example, super bright veneers can contrast too much with a patient who has a darker skin tone, making the veneers look obviously fake. You want to reduce that contrast to give your new smile a more natural and less distracting appearance.
Incorrectly Shaped
Every patient has a different face shape, which means that veneer shapes must be considered on a case-by-case basis. There is no one perfect shape for every patient, and some shapes can make a smile look worse rather than better.
A skilled cosmetic dentist will use both your face shape and your current smile as a template for crafting the perfect new smile for you.
Too Bulky
If you’ve ever seen someone who received dental veneers that were thicker and bulkier than their former smile, then you know how distracting and unrealistic that change can look. When it comes to veneers that are too bulky, the problem isn’t only with the fit of the veneers in the mouth of the recipient.
Veneers that are too bulky also have too much material and can lack the slight transparency of a natural tooth. On the other hand, the right amount of porcelain material can take on that same semi-transparent quality of natural tooth enamel and provide your new smile with a realistic look.
Once there’s too much of the material, though, veneers can lose that subtle quality and take on a bulky appearance that often contrasts with the recipient’s original smile too starkly.
Poorly Spaced
Poor spacing can be an issue with any set of veneers, but it’s particularly common when it comes to veneers designed to close small gaps in the recipient’s teeth. You don’t want your veneers to lack space between them, or there may be a subtle yet undeniable falseness to their appearance.
How to Make Sure Your Veneers Look Natural
Getting veneers can serve as an instant confidence booster that can improve your everyday life in a variety of ways. You just want to make sure you carefully choose the cosmetic dentist who provides them so that your veneers will look as natural as they are stunning.
You can do this by looking into reviews for your potential cosmetic dentist, as well as before and after photos and testimonials. If you feel confident that you’ve found the right one, reach out and express your concerns about fake-looking veneers.
Once they know what you’re looking for, your cosmetic dentist can design veneers that suit not only your skin tone and face shape, but your personal preferences as well.
Dental Veneers From Dental Implant & Aesthetic Specialists
Finding the right cosmetic dentist is vital to achieving the veneers you dream of. Dr. Brett Langston and the team at Dental Implant & Aesthetic Specialists have over 50 years of experience crafting veneers in Atlanta, and we can ensure your new smile is both natural and beautiful. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.