How Thick Can Veneers Go? Can You Put Them on Thicker and Thicker the Farther Back Your Teeth Go?

Question

I am going to get jaw implants and I would like my teeth to match though the palates are narrow. Thus I would like to possibly expand the palate and place veneers on to make my teeth look bigger. How thick can the veneers go? and can you make them go on very thick on the back teeth? I have extremely healthy teeth - zero problems ever. I'm 21.

Joaquin Berron, DDS · Answer

The most important thing to do is determine how much "thicker" you want your teeth and this should be done by a esthetic work up with study casts and a was up, once you have that your dentist can do a mock-up (with the guide of the wax up presented intraorally) that will allow you to see exactly what would be the change that can be achieved and will give your dentist the ability to measure exactly the thickness of the restoration.  This will dictate if it can be done only with the veneers of if you need to have a orthodontic treatment (possible surgical involvement too)  in order to modify your arch form to be able to achive the esthetic outcome you need.

Norman Huefner, DDS · Answer

Yes, this can be done.  It's called widening the buccal corridor and is a technique that cosmetic dentists have been successfully for years.  However, there is a limit as to how thick and pronounced the dentist can make the veneers without compromising some other things. 

	Your dentist can do a diagnostic waxup of your teeth in advance of treatment, which is a model of your teeth with the tentative thickness of the veneers demonstrated.  Using this technique, he can show you the limit he can widen your buccal corridor with your new veneers.

	Regarding orthodontic expansion, many would consider this the preferred way rather than just using thicker veneers.  However orthodontic expansion of your dental arches is much more effective and permanent if done while you are young.  Sometimes with adults orthodontists will widen the arch with help from the oral surgeon (too complicated to explain here), which is a more permanent way to go for adults because just arch widening alone with conventional orthodontics or palate widening appliance often relapses.

How Thick Can Veneers Go? Can You Put Them on Thicker and Thicker the Farther Back Your Teeth Go?

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How Thick Can Veneers Go? Can You Put Them on Thicker and Thicker the Farther Back Your Teeth Go?

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Everything you need to know about Porcelain Veneers

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.