Veneers to Enhance One's Smile
Affordable Veneers to Restore One's Natural Smile
Veneers are a layer of ultra-thin layer of porcelain (zirconia, ceramic or a composite resin material) that is custom made to the contour of your teeth and bonded on to the front surface of the tooth, the procedure rarely requires anesthesia. Veneers cover the surface of a tooth to correct imperfections such as discoloration, fractures, cracks, chips, or even gaps while also providing strength and resilience.
Veneers are less intrusive and an excellent alternative to crowns or braces (in many situations) as they can provide a more conservative approach to changing a tooth’s color, position, size or shape. Patients also choose veneers as a cosmetic solution to close gaps, enhance the brightness of their teeth, straighten their smile, correct small misalignment and mask stains and/or damages. Generally, veneers will last for many years, and the technique has shown remarkable longevity when properly performed.
Many adults past the age of 40 find veneers an affordable and aesthetically pleasing way to improve one's smile and overall looks as they are typically applied to the 6-10 teeth in the 'smile zone'. Many veneers, depending on the material, replicate the teeth so well that it is impossible for a casual observer to identify the restoration. Veneers are often used to complement crowns and implants with many labs able to match the look and structure of natural teeth.
The cost of veneers will vary depending on the type of (branded) veneer used, the material, and the country where they are produced and placed. Pricing is typically quoted per tooth. In recent years the eMax branded veneers have been very popular but Zirconia is also oft-requested, especially at clinics with an in-house lab.
Popular Brands:
- IPS eMax
- Lumineers - is a brand but often more expensive
- Zirconia - popular with clinics with in-house lab
Cost:
| USA | South East Asia | Mexico & Latin America | Europe (Hungary & Poland) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veneers | can run $1,200 on the low-end to $1,500+ | typically run from $350 to $800 | $600 on the low-end | start at $500 |
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NOTE: Dental clinics with their own dental laboratory will usually be able to manufacture porcelain veneers quickly and therefore cut down on the time needed between office visits. |
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Procedure:
Patients may need up to three appointments for the entire procedure: diagnosis and treatment planning, preparation and bonding. A local anesthesia is not usually required but may be used to make sure that there is no discomfort depending on the patient’s sensitivity.
Before any veneer procedure, the Cosmetic Dentist will assess the health of your teeth and discuss with you any requirements. The dentist will then clean the tooth and determine the correct shade of the veneer. The teeth are lightly buffed (usually the same as the thickness of the veneer) to provide room to place the veneer and to make sure that the veneer can be bonded permanently in place later.
Composite resin veneers are generally done in one appointment. After the tooth is prepared, the dentist carefully bonds and sculpts the composite material onto your teeth. For ceramic veneers, the dentist will take an impression that will be used to create a mould, and match the color with surrounding teeth and all of this will be sent to the laboratory along with other information needed so that the veneer will look entirely natural. If the teeth are too unsightly, a temporary veneer can be placed, at an additional cost.
After the laboratory has delivered the porcelain veneers the temporary veneers are removed, the teeth are cleaned with pumice and water. The dentist places each veneer on the teeth to check their fit and get the sense of the shade and color.
Once created, the veneers are then stained and glazed to create a natural look. Before bonding with a special adhesive, the dentist will prepare the tooth's surface and evaluate your bite. The dentist will then reshape and trim until both dentist and patient are happy. Many dentists will schedule a follow-up visit to check for comfort; a comfortable veneer will be a long-lasting veneer.