If you have teeth that are discolored, misshapen, or misaligned, you can correct them with dental veneers. These provide a beautiful smile without having to get braces or other orthodontic treatment. Here are some things to know before you get dental veneers.

Get Professional Whitening First

When you get dental veneers, the dentist will fabricate the veneers to be the same color as your other teeth. This ensures it matches perfectly for a beautiful, flawless smile. If you intend to get your teeth professionally whitened, do so before you have the veneers made. This allows your dentist to match the whitened teeth. If you don't whiten them until after you get the veneers, the colors might not match up as much as you like. While veneers can also be whitened, the shade is sometimes a little off from your natural teeth.

Tooth Prep Can't Be Reversed

You should also know that your teeth need to be prepped before getting the veneers. The teeth will be filed down in order to make room for the size of the veneer. The porcelain is very thin, but it can still be obvious if you simply place them over your current tooth. The dentist files it down just enough so that when the veneer is bonded to the tooth, it looks similar to your other teeth and doesn't look as if you have large teeth in your mouth. This filing down is permanent, so make sure you are certain you want veneers before going through with the procedure.

Expect Multiple Appointments

You will see your dentist more than once during the course of treatment. The first appointment typically involves the exam and x-ray, in addition to getting impressions done. Your dentist might also prepare your teeth by filing them down, and giving you a temporary to wear over the teeth until your next appointment. You will need to wait a couple weeks for the veneers to be ready after you get impressions done. This next appointment involves bonding the veneers to your teeth, then filing them smooth and polishing them. Some dentists like to space these appointments out to three appointments instead of two.

Anesthesia Is Optional

If you don't like getting anesthesia to numb your teeth, you might not need it. This is sometimes used when you have a sensitive tooth. However, if you don't have sensitive teeth, or don't mind a simple numbing agent, you might be able to avoid anesthesia. You can also avoid it if you have had a root canal on this tooth being treated, as the nerves are dead and you probably won't feel much.

For more information, contact a professional such as those at Family Dental Center TriCities, PC.