Teeth whitening has come a long way in the last 10 years, and it has also become very popular with people of all ages. White teeth are the new `Tan` and as skin cancer has made tanning unpopular, the easy methods of whitening the teeth have become more popular. Apart from the DIY kits available in chemists and on the internet, veneers are also very popular due to the lower cost of this method. A veneer on the teeth is exactly what we know a veneer to be, and that’s a thin coating of a material to hide an inferior base underneath. Some veneers are quite thin and very effective; you can relate them to a false nail, but with a good more life to them. They need to be carefully looked after and maintained, but if they are then they will last for a good few years. A dentist will rough up the surface of your tooth to ensure a good adhesion and prevent toothache. Then they will cement the veneer onto the discoloured tooth, the result is a tooth covering that looks like a nice, carefully looked after molar. It can also hide a crack or a chip on a tooth. Eating needs to be adjusted to make sure that the veneer doesn’t come away, but if you’re careful it is usually fine. This method is good for an individual tooth as well as a whole set, the shade is whitened to blend in with your other teeth. In other cases a thicker veneer can be used to not only whiten the teeth, but to also cover a cracked, chipped or wonky tooth, again it is good for one tooth or a whole set. In the case of the thicker veneer it is necessary to take off enough enamel from the tooth that is equal to the thickness of the veneer, it is then sealed all round. These can last from 10-15 years and are easily replaced; this is a more expensive, but longer lasting method. A dentist will need to be consulted and an orthodontist will be needed to make the veneer and shade it, but they work from digital photographs and the results are quite spectacular. The thicker veneers are also good for hiding, to some degree, a degeneration of the gum line. A dentist can treat you for gum disease to keep it at bay, but not cure it.