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Veneers, either porcelain or composite, are designed to cover the front of your teeth in a way that looks natural. While they can fill gaps by helping to reshape your teeth at the front, are they enough to replace a missing tooth?
In this blog, we’ll explore the role of veneers in changing the appearance of your smile and what you’ll need to consider if you have missing teeth.
If you’re considering veneers, or need to replace missing teeth, you are welcome to contact our team at Oasis Dental Studio when you’re ready. We have locations in the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Pottsville.
What are veneers?
Veneers are a cosmetic dental treatment, designed to improve the aesthetics of your smile.
They’re thin, custom-made shells designed to cover the front surface of your teeth. They’re typically crafted from porcelain or composite resin and are bonded to your natural teeth.
Veneers can provide a comprehensive smile makeover, covering up discolouration, chips, gaps, or uneven edges.
Are veneers enough to replace missing teeth?
While veneers can address the appearance of your teeth and somewhat contribute to function, they cannot replace missing teeth. Veneers require a natural tooth to serve as their foundation. If a tooth is missing, there’s simply nothing to bond the veneer to.
To replace missing teeth, you would need a functional dental treatment performed in general dentistry as opposed to cosmetic. Dental implants, available to be placed in a variety of different methods, are a highly effective way to replace missing teeth. Options at Oasis include singular tooth replacements, All-on-4, teeth in a day, and implant-supported bridges and dentures.
However, if you want to replace missing teeth and improve the aesthetics of the rest of your teeth, you may want to have both implants and veneers. When it comes to veneers and missing teeth, the key is to look at your smile as a whole.
While veneers alone can’t replace missing teeth, they can play a key in changing the appearance of your smile after restorative treatments. By addressing both the functional and aesthetic aspects of your teeth, you can achieve a result that looks and feels natural.
How veneers can contribute to your smile after dental implants
While replacing missing teeth with implants is important for the function and health of your teeth, these treatments don’t necessarily address the cosmetic concerns of your remaining teeth.
Veneers allow you to refine and unify your smile, addressing discolouration, chips or uneven edges. Combining restorative and cosmetic treatments gives you the best of both worlds: a fully functional smile that meets your goals in terms of the look of your smile.
Once your dental implants are placed and healed, veneers can be placed over your natural teeth to blend in with their appearance.
How a combined treatment plan for both options may look
If you do decide to have both treatments – dental implants and veneers – we can create a longer-term plan for each.
Every treatment plan begins with a consultation, where we will assess your dental health and discuss your goals. Once we find that you’re a suitable candidate for each treatment, we can tailor each plan to suit your needs.
First, you’ll have your dental implant procedure to replace the missing tooth, or multiple missing teeth. If you only need to replace one missing tooth, we can perform a singular tooth replacement procedure. On the other hand, if you’ll need to replace multiple teeth, you may choose from our other options – All-on-4, teeth in a day, or implant-supported dentures or bridges.
Essentially, your dental implant treatment will first focus on the function and structure of your smile. Once the process is fully complete, you can then undergo your veneer treatment.
To begin the process, a small amount of enamel will need to be carefully removed from your teeth to help fit the veneers. Then, impressions will be taken of your teeth, so that your veneers can be made to match the size, shape, and colour of your natural teeth.
Your veneers can be made of durable porcelain or composite material in a treatment called composite bonding. Once they are ready, they can be placed securely on your teeth.
What you’ll need to consider before having veneers
Focusing on veneers in particular, there are a few things to consider before having the treatment.
It will be important to ensure good overall dental health. Veneers require a healthy foundation, so your gums and any remaining teeth need to be in good condition. If you have gum disease, tooth decay, or other oral health issues, these will need to be addressed before veneers can be placed.
You’ll also need to consider your personal expectations. Veneers are not a one-size-fits-all solution—they are a customised treatment that can be carefully tailored to your needs. However, being realistic about what veneers can and can’t do will help you have realistic expectations for your results.
Next, it’s important to understand that not everyone is necessarily a suitable candidate for veneers. During a consultation, your suitability will need to be assessed, considering the condition of your teeth and if you will need any other treatments.
You may also like to consider the possibility of a longer-term plan with more than one treatment—especially if you need to replace missing teeth. You may need dental implants first, or even orthodontic treatment if the alignment of your teeth needs to be addressed. Essentially, veneers can be the finishing touch, but the priority should always be restoring the structural integrity of your smile.
If it does turn out that you’re not a suitable candidate for porcelain or composite veneers, there may be other cosmetic treatments to consider, such as teeth whitening to focus on discolouration. We can go over all of your options during your consultation.
Veneers and Dental Implants at Oasis Dental Studio in the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Pottsville
If you’re interested in treatment with veneers or need to replace missing teeth with dental implants, the best way to find out if the treatments are suitable for you is to have a consultation.
A consultation will provide you with a comprehensive dental treatment plan outlining the details of your treatments, whether veneers, implants, or both.
Please get in touch with our team to book your consultation!
