4 Things To Consider Before Your Child Receives Porcelain Veneers

Many people think of porcelain veneers as a solution for certain types of adult dental issues. In fact, veneers are also an option for children. While the process is slightly different, don’t be surprised if your family dentist recommends this solution for your child. Before any work is done, learn a little more about veneers for kids and what kind of results you can expect. Here are a few of the issues you want to address with the dental professional.

Your Child’s Age

From a technical point of view, there is no such thing as a child being too young for veneers. However, it would be difficult to find a dentist who would consider such a procedure for children who do not yet have their permanent teeth. Only in the most unusual of circumstances would a dental professional consider veneers when the baby teeth are still present.

Many dentists will only consider veneers an option if the child has reached the age of 14. Even then, the dentist will caution the parents that the veneers will have to be replaced once or maybe twice by the time the child reaches early adulthood. You'll find most dental professionals will not hesitate to suggest porcelain veneers in Richmond Hill for a young patient who is at least 16 years of age.

The Nature of the Dental Problem

While dental veneers are helpful in many situations, they are not a cure-all. For example, perhaps there is a cavity present. The first order of business will be to deal with the decayed portion and install filling. Only then will the idea of using a veneer to add strength and improve the look of the tooth be considered.

Before your dentist will recommend your child undergo this procedure, all viable solutions must be compared. The ultimate goal is to restore the damaged tooth to a healthy state. Once that goal is achieved, the idea of a veneer to improve the appearance and add more stability to the tooth will be considered.

How Long the Veneers Will Remain in Place

Dentists use slightly different methods for children’s veneers. For example, more of the enamel remains intact. This is important because more changes will happen over the next several years. Veneers that are a perfect fit today may need to be replaced four or so years down the line.

For example, your child receives veneers at age 14. Most likely those will be replaced at age 18. If so, the second set will need to be replaced around age 22. That third set will likely last anywhere from 15 to 20 years, assuming they are maintained properly.

Color Matching

If you are concerned about how well the veneer will blend in with the rest of the teeth, don’t worry. It’s possible to tint the porcelain so it’s a perfect match with the surrounding teeth. Once the work is done, no one will know the difference but you, your child, and the dental team.

Are veneers the right solution for your child? The only way to know for sure is to see a dental professional. The team at TowerHill Richmond Hill children dentistry can examine the dental issue, come up with an approach that is appropriate for your child, and make sure all your questions are answered.