How To Restore Your Teeth After Getting Over Your Nail-Biting Habit

Nail biting is a very difficult habit to break, so if you've managed to do so, you deserve to have the damage that's been done to your smile repaired. Unfortunately, most people who bite nails endure some kind of damage to their teeth, and chances are you've noticed one or more kinds of difficulties with your teeth. Here's what you should know about the damage nail biting does to your teeth and how you can get your old appearance back.

What Nail Biting Does

Nail biting typically causes two distinct kinds of damage to teeth: making them crooked and wearing away at them.

Teeth become crooked from nail biting because they're not designed to endure extreme pressure on an individual tooth, which is what biting your nails does. You sandwich the fingernail between an upper and lower tooth and press down until that nail snaps. Over the months and years, this repeated pressure can gradually start to push a tooth out of position, making your teeth appear crooked.

Abnormal wear and tear is also a common problem with nail biting. Once again, teeth aren't intended to put up with that much pressure on singular teeth. Instead, they're supposed to distribute pressure across an entire row of teeth when you bite and chew. By putting immense pressure on a tooth over and over again, you can gradually wear it down or even chip away at it, resulting in a ragged or uneven edge.

The Solution

Getting your teeth fixed doesn't have to be time-intensive, and you can easily have both problems fixed at the same time. The best and easiest solution here is dental veneers.

Veneers are designed to attach to the front of your teeth, hiding the defects and damage that they have. They're made to look and feel like real teeth, and can make teeth appear straight and completely even and smooth.

What to Expect

Getting veneers is a very simple process, and even if you're anxious about seeing dentists, you don't need to worry about this process.

Veneers attach to teeth with adhesive, rather than via drilling or with additional hardware. You'll sit down with your dentist and discuss your personal needs and have your teeth examined. From there, your dentist will show you some sample veneers to help you get an idea of how your teeth will look and to choose a shade for your teeth. This ensures that the whiteness of your new veneers will look great on you and that your veneers have the shape and size that suits your smile.

Veneers are custom-made, so your dentist will need to place an order for them based on your personal needs and measurements. Once they're ready, your dentist will attach them to your teeth with a strong dental adhesive, and then you're done. The adhesive will last for many years, and you don't need to change how you care for your teeth at home. All you have to do is just keep flossing and brushing and coming in for regular cleanings.

For more information, contact a local dental clinic like Pike Dentistry.