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Dental veneers: They hold on "tooth and nail"
The Wisdom Tooth by Wynn H. Okuda, D.M.D.

Here’s an interesting question: What do manicures and dentistry have in common? Hmmmm.... Appointments are scheduled for services? Well.... Both the manicurist and dentist get mad if you bite your nails? Maybe....

The real answer is: Both manicurists and dentists offer a procedure that is similar in some ways. For nails, it is acrylic nails. For teeth, it is veneers. Acrylic nails and dental veneers both enhance the beauty of the nails and teeth. They also have generally the same stages of preparation: the nail or tooth is "roughened" to better accept the material placed on it. Then, for nails, the acrylic is placed on the nail, and shaped by hand. For teeth, either composite (plastic) is placed on the tooth, hand-sculpted, and cured by an ultra-violet light. Or a veneer made of porcelain is fabricated by a laboratory, and again cured by an ultra-violet light.

But that’s about where the similarities end. There is a tremendous difference in the strength of the tooth compared with the nail. People who have had acrylic nails tell me although the acrylic adds thickness to the overall nail, they need to treat their nails gingerly. For example, they are told by the manicurist to press elevator buttons with their knuckles, dial phones with the eraser side of a pencil, and not to drum their fingernails on the counter! If they are careful with their nails, they can minimize "lifting" of the nail. On the other hand, patients with dental veneers are still able to bite into apples, corn-on-the-cob, or anything they were able to eat before. One study verified that the porcelain adhesed to your natural teeth actually strengthened the natural tooth.

I hear it’s a common fear but unusual occurrence that acrylic nails will lead to nail bed infections. When the acrylic nail begins to lift from the base of the nail, the unprotected nail is constantly exposed to moisture and bacteria. Without proper attention to this nail, it is in jeopardy of damage. As for dental veneers, there is never the possibility of lifting at one end. The veneer material is completely sealed up against the natural tooth, so no saliva should be in contact with that inner surface.
There is also a difference in how long acrylic nails and dental veneers last. Whereas acrylic nails need to be redone or touched-up every three weeks or so, dental veneers are made to last for many, many years.

Dental veneers have been around in various forms for more than 20 years. However, I still find that many patients aren’t quite sure what veneers are. Here are common questions that patients ask:

What are veneers? Veneers are a way of restoring health, function and beauty to the natural tooth. They are a thin layer of plastic composite or porcelain which covers the front and biting surface of the tooth, and are used on any teeth that show when you smile. In the past, dentists used crowns to get this result. However, crowns require cutting away larger amounts of natural tooth in comparison to the minimal removal of tooth for veneers.

Both types of veneers, hand-sculpted and laboratory made, require at least two appointments. With hand-sculpted veneers, the dentist actually applies a plastic composite material directly to the tooth, and forms the veneer by hand. With veneers made by a dental laboratory, the dentist communicates to the lab the shape, color and contour of the desired porcelain veneer. The goal for both types is to create the most "natural" appearance for your smile.

What dental situations can veneers address? Keep in mind that every patient’s smile must be evaluated individually. However, in general, veneers can correct unsightly gaps or crooked teeth, rotated teeth or teeth with a moderate amount of decay. When teeth bleaching is unable to whiten teeth, for example due extreme staining, veneers can mask out the dark teeth and brighten a smile. Veneers are the most commonly performed cosmetic dental procedure.

How long do veneers last? As I briefly mentioned earlier in this article, they will last for years. One study followed veneers placed on patients since 1981, and 90% of these restorations were still successfully in place today (over 19 years so far!). If a person has good oral health care, which means routine cleanings by a dental professional and daily comprehensive brushing and flossing, this will maximize the longevity of all restorations and natural teeth.

Many cosmetic dental procedures require advanced training and knowledge. Because your money and time are involved, it’s important to see a highly qualified cosmetic dentist, to obtain the best possible results.

I hope the comparisons and contrasts with something people may be more familiar with are helpful in increasing the knowledge of dental procedures. Veneers are an ideal cosmetic dental procedure, as it still allows the cosmetic dentist to be artistic in smile design, yet it minimizes the amount of natural tooth reduction.