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 "I am considering them and wanted to hear any testimonies about them. What kind do
you have? Was the process painful? Was it worth the money? Average price range?
(sorry if it is too personal, just want to see if my price quote is within the
range) How do you keep them stain-free from coffee, tea, etc..? How is the
maintenance? Are you happy with your smile? Any complaints?"
We answer all of these questions and more in this straightforward FAQ on veneers.
I got these questions about veneers by way of my sister, who found them on theknot . The identity of the original poster has been omitted to protect her privacy.
I am considering them and wanted to hear any testimonies about them.
What kind do you have?
Veneers fall into two major families: direct and indirect.
Direct veneers
are also known as bondings. They are made out of composite resin, the
same material as white fillings. You build them bit by bit, just like
nails at the manicure salon. One appointment is usually sufficient.
Quality results are more dependent on the skill of the dentist. Cost
is lower than indirect veneers. Longevity is much less because the
material tends to collect stain and discolor in a few years. Repair
and resurfacing are very easy.
Indirect veneers are more popular. They are
made out of porcelain. Some are stacked (built bit by bit by hand) and
some are pressed into a mold for greater strength. Pressed ceramics
traditionally look more opaque; too opaque and it looks like chiclets,
but they have improved tremendously in that regard. Pressed ceramics
have brand names like Empress, Cerinate, and others. On the first
appointment, the dentist prepares (“prep” is the inside slang word for
it) the teeth, and takes impressions. If the reduction is noticeable,
temporaries are made. On the second appointment, the dentist bonds the
veneers to your teeth. Quality results are a little more dependent on
the choice of lab technician and veneer material than the dentist—a big
reason to avoid the lowest price. Cost is much higher than direct
veneers. Longevity is much greater because the material does not
collect stain as readily. Repairing and resurfacing are much more
difficult.
Think of veneers like makeup…if you have good
skin underneath, you don’t need as much, and the final result looks
better than bad skin with a lot of makeup on top. Veneers are a thin
layer of semi-translucent material over natural tooth. Translucent
veneers are more natural-looking because teeth are translucent
naturally. If we have to mask something underneath, then the veneer
has to be more opaque, and that gives you the dreaded chiclet look,
also known as white picket fence smile. So make sure you get any
whitening done and finished for two weeks before starting the
veneers. If you have white, brown, or yellow spots, it may be
advisable to remove and fill over those prior to whitening.
Consider them permanent, because they are. Clean removal without
damaging the tooth underneath is just about impossible in both cases.
Was the process painful?
If anesthetized, the most painful aspect is the shot. We
have many solutions to reduce, and often eliminate, the pain of a
dental injection. If not numb, your discomfort will depend on how much
reduction is necessary, and how sensitive your teeth are. In select
cases, no drilling is necessary at all—Cerinate and Vivaneers are both
done with little or no tooth preparation. With that said, just a
little tooth preparation ensures a flush seal with the tooth, which
facilities gum health. No one wants pretty white teeth with swollen
red gums.
Was it worth the money?
This is a question that every patient has to answer
for themselves. I think it depends on what your expectations are, as
well as the quality of the final result compared to what you had
before. You should also evaluate all the alternatives to achieve your
goals. Many veneer patients would be better off functionally and
economically if they got braces, straightened out their teeth and then
whitened them. Since every person is different, some options work
better on some people than others.
There are some economics that every patient should
know about. Braces pays $3000-5000 over two to three years, and a set
of veneers pays the dentist much more right up front. So you see a lot
of people go through a lot of unnecessary tooth reduction to give the
illusion of a straight smile quickly. One full mouth veneer case can
pay for an entire month of office overhead. So there’s a powerful
incentive in the industry to push veneers.
My advice to all of my patients is to do it the right
way, even if it takes longer, costs more money, or makes me less
money. Dental work is permanent—whatever you cut off, doesn’t grow
back. Plus, even if orthodontics doesn’t completely produce the smile
you want, straight teeth are much easier to veneer successfully and
naturally.
Average price range? (sorry if it is too personal, just want to see if my price quote is within the range)
According to a 2005 price survey of zip code 92692
(Mission Viejo in South Orange County, California) direct veneers range
from $434 to $988 per tooth. (it's gone up just a little since then) Indirect veneers go from $674 to $1125
per tooth. Of course, these are averages. I know of dentists that
charge $1200-$1500. Celebrities pay celebrity dentists like Dr. Bill
Dorfman $10,000 per tooth. Aren't they all the same? No. Dentistry
is not a commodity like gasoline or all-purpose flour. It is the final product of the
dentist's planning before the procedure, his or her skill during the
preparation, and the selected lab technician's ability to reproduce or
even improve upon the doctor's prescription. There’s a huge variance
of technique, material cost, doctor experience, and overhead costs.
Our fee is positioned low enough to be competitive, but high enough to
ensure we don't have to cut any corners on your results.
How do you keep them stain-free from coffee, tea, etc..?
Don’t drink coffee and tea. If you must have your coffee
and tea, use a whitening toothpaste and a power toothbrush (I like
OralB’s polishing heads for this purpose) at least once a week (on top
of your normal brushing and flossing), and go in for cleanings every
six months. See our toothpaste article for recommendations on good stain removers.
How is the maintenance?
If well done, porcelain veneers require no additional
maintenance, and should last 5-10 years before needing replacement.
(many last longer) Composite veneers require re-polishing and/or
resurfacing every 6-24 months to maintain their color and gloss.
Are you happy with your smile?
I hope that you are, but if you’re considering veneers, you probably aren’t
Any complaints?
I and most of my dentist colleagues would stand behind our
work.
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