Can Porcelain Veneers Fix Teeth That Look Too Small?

My teeth are healthy and fairly straight, but I’ve always disliked my smile because my front teeth look tiny. When I smile, I show quite a bit of gum, and the teeth themselves seem short compared with everyone else’s. I have seen porcelain veneers used to make teeth longer, but I’m worried they’ll just look huge or fake. Can veneers actually fix small-looking teeth?

Bethany

Dear Bethany,

Porcelain veneers can be an excellent way to improve teeth that appear too small, but it will be important to first  ask the question why your teeth look small. Is it because the teeth are small or because there is another underlying problem?

That distinction is important because several very different situations can produce a similar-looking smile.

Your Teeth May Actually Be Small

Some people naturally develop teeth that are smaller than average. Dentists call abnormally small teeth microdontia. Sometimes this only affects particular teeth. For example, the upper lateral incisors can develop unusually small or peg-shaped.

Porcelain veneers can be designed to add width or length and create more harmonious proportions with the surrounding teeth.

But actual tooth size isn’t the only possibility.

Some of Your Teeth May Be Hidden

A tooth can be a perfectly normal size while too much of it is covered by gum tissue. This can make the visible portion of the tooth look short and square and may contribute to what patients often call a “gummy smile.”

In that situation, simply adding length to the bottom of the teeth with veneers may not produce the most attractive result.

Your dentist needs to evaluate the position of your gum tissue and the underlying anatomy. Gum contouring or another periodontal procedure may sometimes be part of a smile makeover.

Once the appropriate amount of tooth is visible, you may discover that the proportions are already much closer to what you wanted. You can still get porcelain veneers to improve the appearance of the smile after your gums are in proper proportion.

Wear Can Make Teeth Shorter

As we age, our teeth become shorter. Grinding and clenching can gradually wear away tooth structure. Acid erosion and other dental problems can contribute as well. Even without those, as we use our teeth year after year, they slowly get smaller.

If wear is responsible for your short teeth, cosmetic treatment shouldn’t begin and end with making them longer again. Your dentist needs to determine why the wear occurred. Otherwise, the same forces that damaged your natural teeth could threaten your new dental work.

For instance, if the reason they are shorter is because you grind your teeth, then that issue has to be addressed or it will just repeat itself. You may not even realize you’re doing it, but there will be tell-tale signs your dentist will see. Generally, you would just need to wear a nightguard to protect the teeth from grinding and clenching after they’re repaired. Those may require dental crowns for a full-mouth reconstruction depending on the extensiveness of the damage.

Good Cosmetic Dentistry Is About Proportion

Your concern about ending up with enormous-looking teeth is reasonable. The goal isn’t simply to make each tooth bigger. It’s to provide you with a gorgeous smile. Cosmetic dentists consider the relationships among tooth width and length, neighboring teeth, gumline, lips, and the rest of the face.

Sometimes changing a surprisingly small amount can transform the overall appearance of a smile.

Choose Your Cosmetic Dentist Carefully

Doing a smile makeover is a very advanced procedure. Dental school alone isn’t enough. You want a dentist who has invested in a significant amount of post-doctoral training to help them obtain the technical and artistic skills needed.

The safest option is to look for an AACD accredited dentist. These are the best cosmetic dentists in the world. Every one of them have been vetted for their technical knowledge as well as their artistic skills.

This blog is brought to you by a top-rated cosmetic dentist in Nashville, Dr. David Wickness.