Elevate Your Smile: Discover Dental Veneers
Discover the transformative power of dental veneers, ultra-thin shells crafted with precision from ceramic or resin and placed on existing teeth. These meticulously designed veneers create an attractive smile and protect tooth surfaces, preventing coffee, tea, and wine staining.
Choose porcelain veneers for timeless elegance, sculpted from ceramic, or direct veneers made with composite resin, offering resilience.
These trusted cosmetic dental procedures enhance tooth size, shape, and color. The process is comfortable and pain-free with minimal anesthesia, making veneers an ideal choice for anterior teeth enhancement.
Notably, porcelain veneers resist discoloration, preserving your radiant smile permanently. Unleash the beauty of your smile with dental veneers, where artistry meets functionality. Embrace the possibilities and elevate your confidence with flawless, long-lasting results.
How much do veneers cost?
If you do 8-10 veneers in our office, the minimum veneers(no-prep shells) and regular veneers are mixed depending on your teeth' condition and wishes.
These dental veneer costs range from $ 800 to $ 2500 per veneer. The porcelain veneer costs may increase depending on the dentist and laboratory technician's experience, qualifications, and artistic skills.
Types of veneers:
There are three types of veneers: Porcelain veneers(Traditional), non-prep or minimum prep veneers, and direct veneers.
Porcelain veneers:
Porcelain veneers are commonly called "regular or traditional veneers" and are the most common dental veneers type with a thin custom-made shell of tooth color material.Porcelain veneers are also tagged in the same way as no-prep or minimally prepared veneers. Before attaching the porcelain veneer to the tooth surface, your tooth surface needs a reduction of 0.5 to 0.7 mm(1/50"-1/36") to avoid a bulky appearance.
The reduced amount of the tooth surface changes the look of the tooth shape. You can also make the teeth' color translucent and vibrant.
No-prep or minimally prepared veneers:
No-prepared veneers are processed and made of porcelain in the lab.
The no-prep veneers can preserve your tooth structure by minimizing tooth surface reduction; reducing the tooth surface is less than traditional veneers. Like the porcelain veneers, the no-prep ones bond and attach to the front of the teeth.
This method's disadvantage is that the teeth may look bulky, oversized, unnatural, and sometimes very opaque. And the plan will only succeed if you have small teeth and do not need to change the teeth' color too much.
In our office, there is always a need for minimal tooth reduction.
For example, suppose a patient wants eight veneers. In that case, both minimal preparation and regular veneers can be used in the same case depending on the individual tooth's color, size, angle, and position. It is common to use only some eight teeth with minimal preparation veneers.
By the way, Lumineers are brand names and are the same as unprepared veneers but tend to be bulky and opaque.
Direct veneers(Composite veneers):
Direct veneers are cheaper but rare dental cosmetic procedures than other types of shells or layered veneers. A cosmetic dentist does not need a laboratory technician; the dentist does everything in your mouth.Direct veneers are not porcelain veneers and are generally called composite bonding. These veneers give similar results to traditional or unprepared veneers but with some drawbacks.
The direct veneers use non-porcelain material, and the surfaces can become stained over time. In addition, the chair time is very long because a cosmetic dentist has to apply composite resin layers from scratch.
Although direct veneer costs are lower than porcelain veneers and more affordable than other material options, the composite resin material only lasts shorter than porcelain.
How long do veneers last?
Veneers are quite durable under normal hygiene conditions. You can brush and floss them as usual with non-abrasive fluoride toothpaste. Advancements in materials and technology have improved the durability and longevity of veneers.
Traditional veneers, i.e., porcelain veneers, generally last 10 to 15 years, and composite veneers are shorter than porcelain veneers. However, the porcelain veneers can crack or shatter under abnormal pressure.
It would help avoid biting down on hard-surfaced items like pencils or nails.
If you have habits like clenching or grinding, we can design a bite guard to wear at night to prevent the teeth from biting down on each other too forcefully.
The veneers offer positive changes in how you view yourself and relate to others. In the right circumstances, dental veneers will transform your smile, but they can also help change your life and health.
Porcelain veneers vs. Composite bonding
Porcelain veneers are an excellent alternative to dental bonding or filling.
The porcelain veneers provide a better look than composite bonding; they offer a conservative approach to changing a tooth's color, size, or shape.
Composite bonding or direct veneers generally stain over time, while porcelain veneers don't.
These veneers can mask undesirable defects, such as teeth stained by coffee or tea and damage from an injury. They are ideal for masking discolored fillings in front teeth.
Patients with gaps between their front teeth or missing or worn teeth may want to obtain veneers. Generally, veneers will last for many years, and the technique has shown remarkable longevity when correctly performed.
The Pros and Cons of Getting Dental Veneers:
Pro:
- Prepping teeth for veneers are less invasive than prepping a tooth for a cavity.
- You can choose your preferred veneer color to have a custom look.
- Porcelain veneers have a natural look unless you pick a noticeable white color. They look whiter and straighter than natural teeth but they still look natural.
- Porcelain veneers feel like your natural teeth.
- There is no special maintenance after the porcelain veneers are seated beside proper brushing, flossing and seeing your dentist for your routine cleanings. Veneers stain less than your natural teeth.
- Having a smile you desire can increase your confidence.
Cons:
- In most cases, teeth do require surface shaving, this is an irreversible procedure.
- While porcelain veneers do not stain, composite veneers can.
- Veneers could chip or get damaged. Nail biting and use of veneers as a tool could lead to surface chipping.
About
Dr. Shimizu is an accredited member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. There are 419 dental professionals worldwide (Only four in Houston) as of 2022 who have achieved this prestigious honor.