The pros and cons of veneers

Veneers change the appearance of the front teeth more completely than any other cosmetic treatment. They also alter the tooth permanently and they cost real money.

Anyone deciding deserves both halves without the sales gloss.

What veneers do well

They change the teeth without removing them. The shell goes over the existing tooth. Nothing is extracted, and symmetry, length and color are all set by the veneer rather than by rebuilding what is underneath.

They are an alternative to whitening for people who cannot whiten. Patients with sensitive teeth are often wary of bleaching agents, and some discoloration is structural and will not lift regardless. Porcelain reaches a whiter result with no bleaching at all, and it does not fade.

The result arrives in appointments, not years. Orthodontics takes time to even out a smile. Veneers do the cosmetic half of that job in two visits.

They fix shape and color in one step. No other treatment does both at once, which is why a case with chips and staining together usually ends up here.

What they cost you

Porcelain is expensive. It takes skill and precision to place, and each veneer is made for one patient by a ceramist. Payment plans spread it; they do not make it small. Composite costs considerably less where the problem is smaller.

They are irreversible. About half a millimeter of enamel is removed so the veneer can bond. A damaged veneer can be repaired or replaced. The enamel cannot be put back, and this is the point to be certain about before starting.

They do not last forever. Replacement at some stage is likely. The figures the practice publishes are in how long veneers last.

There is an adjustment period. New veneers feel unfamiliar at first, particularly where several gaps are being filled. Temperature sensitivity in the first days is normal and generally settles within about a week.

Five things to settle before you start

1. Your oral health, first. Veneers are cosmetic. They do not treat decay or gum disease and they do not protect the tooth underneath. Anything that needs treating gets treated before anything cosmetic goes on top.
2. Whether the shade is settled. If natural teeth will still show beside the veneers, whiten those first. Porcelain keeps the shade it is made in.
3. Your budget, honestly. The cost can be spread. It should not be a strain, and a smaller case done well beats a larger one done cheaply.
4. Who does the work. The result depends on the dentist’s hands and on the ceramist’s. Experience is the variable that matters most, and it is the one people research least.
5. The waiting. The lab stage runs about two weeks in most cases and can reach four. That wait is a person building something that stays in your mouth for years.

Being told that what you asked for is not the right treatment is a good sign, not a bad one.

Protecting them afterwards

• Do not use your teeth as tools. Packaging, tape and bottle caps end more veneers than time does.
• Avoid the foods that break natural teeth: ice, hard candy, popcorn kernels, nuts.
• Wear a guard if you grind at night or play contact sport.
• Clean the margin where veneer meets tooth. Porcelain does not decay; the tooth under it does.
• Keep your cleaning appointments. A chipped edge caught early is a repair rather than a replacement.

Finding out whether they suit your case

Not everyone should have veneers, and the consultation exists partly to say so. Whitening is cheaper where color is the only issue; a crown is correct where a tooth is structurally damaged.

Dr. Back examines the teeth, gums and bite before recommending anything. Sarasota Smile Design is on Clark Road in Sarasota, close to Nokomis, Osprey and Venice, open Monday to Thursday.

Call 941-927-5411, or see porcelain veneers.