Many people choose to have their teeth filled with a metal filling rather than a ceramic one at some point in their lives. Metal fillings are typically less expensive and similarly strong to ceramic fillings, so it's often a cost-saving choice that people make earlier on in life when they're on a budget. If you've since gotten to a point where you don't want your teeth to look like they have metal in them anymore, veneers are a great way of changing that. Read on to discover why veneers are your best option and what to expect from the whole process.

Removing Fillings

You might think that having your filling removed and putting in a new ceramic filling is your best bet. However, that's actually not true. Removing your filling would require your dentist to drill your tooth again and to go further than the original drilling went. Depending on how deep your cavity was, this could potentially intrude upon the nerves in your teeth, which could put you in a lot of pain. If this is the case, your dentist will likely refuse to remove your filling. The only other way you'll be able to replace it is to wait for your current filling to break down enough to simply fall out. However, this could take years.

Cosmetic and Structural Improvement

Veneers sit in front of your teeth, hiding the actual tooth. This means that if your tooth is misshapen, crooked, chipped, or has a metal filling, veneers can help to cover and hide them.

In addition to making your smile look good, veneers can also help to strengthen your teeth somewhat. The extra layer of porcelain helps to absorb pressure from your bite, which will prevent your tooth from becoming chipped or broken from biting into hard things.

In addition, the veneer will act as an extra layer of enamel over the part of the tooth it covers, helping to prevent further decay from occurring. If you're prone to cavities, this should be a significant boost for you.

Process

Getting veneers is easy and typically requires no drilling. To get veneers, you'll talk to your dentist, get a full examination, and go through the installation process. You'll pick out the veneers that you want, the color that you feel is best, and discuss which teeth you want the veneers for. Your dentist will take some measurements and send the information to a company that will make them custom for you.

When the veneers come in, you'll be able to have them adhered to your teeth with simple dental cement. Your dentist won't have to drill or intrude upon your fillings at all in order to make your teeth look better.

Dental veneers can vastly improve the appearance of a smile, even if you have metal tooth fillings. Talk to a dentist if you're interested in fixing your smile once and for all. Check out a website like http://www.charlottesvilledentistry.com/ for more information and assistance.