If you aren't satisfied with your teeth in your smile, porcelain veneers will be a good investment. The question is; how many veneers should you get? Though this is a simple question, the answer isn't as simple as you might think. A number of factors will affect your final decision when deciding on how many porcelain veneers you should go for.

Check the Width of Your Smile

Do you know what a buccal corridor is? This is the space between your inner cheek and your teeth. Some people have small jaws but wide buccal corridors, and other people have large jaws with almost no buccal corridors. When deciding on how many veneers to get, this is one of the most important considerations.

Choose too few veneers, say, just four veneers for your central and lateral incisors, and your veneers will look odd if you have a wide buccal corridor that shows more teeth when you smile. For instance, the shade and shape of your veneers won't match those of the other teeth on display. However, if only your upper four teeth show when you smile, four veneers will be ideal.  

Examine How You Smile                            

Did you know that there are 19 types of smiles? In other words, you don't always smile in the same way. For example, what does your ecstatic smile look like compared to your satisfied smile? How many teeth can you see in each smile? Before you decide on the number, check your smile types in a mirror.

Factor in the Shape and Position of Your Teeth

Is your smile slightly out of balance due to crooked teeth? Are all your teeth the same shape? These are important factors because if you place a veneer next to a tooth that is crooked or shaped differently, that veneer will stand out for the wrong reasons. However, if cost is a problem, you could combine treatments.

Decide if You Want to Combine Approaches or Not

Sometimes, cost prevents patients from getting the number of porcelain veneers they want. However, a skilled cosmetic dentist can combine composite veneers with porcelain veneers for the time being, until you can afford to replace those composite veneers with porcelain. Be aware, however, that composite veneers stain and break much more easily than porcelain veneers.

As such, be prepared to be extra careful with your composite veneers if they are next to porcelain veneers. Fortunately, if you do break or stain them before you replace them with porcelain veneers, your dentist can easily repair them.

Are you about to invest in some porcelain veneers? Then ensure that you remember the above factors when deciding on how many veneers you need. Visit a cosmetic dentistry provider to learn more.