What are Dental Veneers?
Dental veneers are thin custom-made tooth restorations, often made of porcelain, designed to look like natural teeth. These are bonded to the front surfaces of teeth, resulting in a dramatic and instant transformation of a person’s smile, especially when it comes to the colour and shape of the teeth.
Dental veneers are ideal for those with minor chips, as well as for those with highly discoloured, crooked, gapped, uneven, worn out or misshapen teeth. As these are customized for every patient, the result is a natural looking smile that will be hard to tell apart. In fact, they offer an almost instantaneous way to get a smile makeover, at a fraction of the price.
The number of veneers needed is dependent on a case-to-case basis. It isn’t necessary to have them for all the teeth, and you can easily choose to have them for a specific tooth, without affecting the surrounding teeth.
What are the types of dental veneers?
Dental veneers are usually made from composite resin or ceramic materials such as porcelain. While both are designed to serve the same purpose, there are some key differences between the two, notably the treatment time required, costs, aesthetics and durability.
Composite Veneers are made from a mixture of resin and powdered glass and they can be used to make teeth appear larger or whiter. These are layered and shaped directly over the surface of the tooth, and are bonded in place using a special wavelength curing light. Before bonding, the dentist will usually place them loosely over the tooth to check for alignment and fit. This would be a good time to review how they would look and request for changes, if any.
Porcelain Veneers are the more popular type today, due to their life-like aesthetics, and their higher stain resistance as compared to resin veneers. The modern porcelain veneer was developed in the 1980s and to this day is regarded as the most effective method of transforming the appearance of existing teeth without major dental treatment (eg. orthodontics or implants), offering a straighter, whiter and desirable smile. Veneers are an excellent solution for closing gaps between teeth, and creating a straight and white “Hollywood” smile. Porcelain veneers are treasured by cosmetic dentists for their natural appearance and lustre, strength and ability to repel staining.
The GlamSmile Advantage
GlamSmile veneers are the next generation of pure porcelain veneers, allowing ultra-thin, super strong veneers to be crafted – this means that there is often no need to severely reduce the structure of an otherwise healthy tooth. This is quite a revolutionary process in itself, as it means that you can retain more or nearly all of the original tooth structure.
The traditional dental veneer process would often involve painful grinding and shaving down anywhere between 0.3 – 0.5mm of teeth enamel so that the veneers can be positioned in line with the other natural teeth, and can bond on strongly with the original tooth. This is coupled with many anaesthetic shots, which would increase the number of hours in the dentist’s chair, and in turn, the treatment bill as well. Thankfully GlamSmile has been developed as a fast and pain-free way to a perfect smile, at a fraction of the traditional cost.
What is the procedure for Dental Veneers?
GlamSmile is intended for convenient, safe and pain-free smile redesign, and this is reflected through our procedure as well.
At the initial consultation, a GlamSmile dentist will assess your suitability for dental veneers via a dental examination and smile analysis. If you are a suitable candidate for veneers, the dentist will explain the various treatment options along with the cost, and may take impressions (moulds) of your teeth to send to one of our laboratories. This is also a good time to ask all the questions that you might have about the procedure.
Your veneer will then be created as per your custom requirements of shape, size and shade. Digital technology, including 3D scanning and CAD/CAM (computer aided drawing systems) allow a veneer to be crafted to fit the underlying tooth perfectly.
As there is often no need for reduction of healthy tooth structure, your next appointment with the dentist will last about one hour as they bond your newly arrived veneers to your teeth. To see a more in-depth view of the GlamSmile process, please see the Procedure Walkthrough.
How long do porcelain dental veneers last?
With the advances in bonding materials, or dental cement, porcelain veneers are known to last anywhere from 10 to 20 years. However, just like natural teeth, daily wear and tear can also affect the veneers, and they might need repair or replacement. Some of the reasons that could damage dental veneers can include:
- Poor dental hygiene
- Tooth decay
- Gum disease
- Loose, ill-fitting veneers due to faulty placement
- Natural wear and tear
What about Composite Veneers?
Whilst composite dental veneers can certainly be an effective treatment for restoring teeth, when it comes to complete smile makeovers, there are advantages and disadvantages compared to porcelain veneers which should be considered by anyone considering cosmetic dentistry. Composite veneers cost significantly less as compared to porcelain veneers, but it is also important to consider the fact that they have a comparatively shorter life span as well.
Maintaining your Dental Veneers
Just like your natural teeth, veneers need to be looked after and treated with care. Like real teeth, they are not immune to strong impacts such as sporting accidents which could normally damage your teeth, but thankfully a veneer can usually be quickly replaced. The key to maintaining your smile is to follow the hygiene instructions provided by your dentist, including brushing, flossing, mindful dietary and lifestyle choices and regular check-ups.
Can Dental Veneers get stained?
Porcelain veneers are known for their strong stain-resistance. However, they are not immune to staining either. Prolonged exposure to certain foods and beverages such as wine, coffee, soda and the like could cause discolouration in veneers but the original colour of the veneers can be brought back by polishing them at your hygiene appointments.
How much do GlamSmile Dental Veneers cost?
GlamSmile is committed to having people smile better, with safe and affordable porcelain veneers. Despite our affordability, we do not cut corners on quality. All of our treatments use premium, ultra-thin porcelain veneers, which are designed using advanced dental technology at our laboratories, via streamlined fabrication techniques. The fact that our dental veneers require minimal to no prep not only makes them less invasive, but also quicker and cost-effective for both patients and dentists alike!
The cost for GlamSmile veneers usually starts at around $800 / tooth. This is significantly lower than the cost for standard porcelain veneers, which can range from $1,200 – $3,000 / tooth. Having said this, it isn’t always possible to give an upfront cost of treatment, as every smile is different. The treatment cost will differ on a case-to-case basis – and will be based on the number of veneers required, prep work (if needed) as well as the choice of our Classic or Platinum range. Sometimes, the cost might also include pre-treatment work like neutralizing gum disease or tooth decay, before commencing with the veneers. To know more, you could always contact your nearest GlamSmile dentist.
Do Health Funds cover the cost of Dental Veneers?
Dental veneers are usually considered a cosmetic procedure, and therefore, would not usually be covered by dental health insurance. However, there are some associated costs that you could claim for, from your insurance provider, depending upon your cover. These include the costs for comprehensive dental examination, X-Rays, professional cleaning and whitening that might be done prior to veneers. This could also help to reduce the overall treatment cost.
In either case, you will have a complete quote for the treatment before you agree to proceed. This will eliminate the possibility of the treatment cost shooting up once you start.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the difference between a veneer and a crown?
While both crowns and veneers can transform the look of teeth, they differ in their purpose and function. A crown is meant to surround the entire tooth as a protective shield, and provides strength and structure for weakened teeth. A veneer, on the other hand, covers only the front surface of the tooth, and are primarily used for cosmetic purposes. They also differ in terms of pricing, as getting a dental crown entails many other procedures prior to the crown.
Can Dental Veneers be used in the case of missing teeth?
Veneers need to be bonded to an existing tooth, and therefore, it isn’t possible to do that in the space of a missing tooth.
Is it possible to get Dental Veneers over a tooth filling?
This completely depends on the position of the tooth, the area of the filling and the structural strength of the tooth. The common practice is to have a dental crown protect cover a tooth filling if large otherwise veneers can cover fillings.
Do Dental Veneers damage natural teeth?
Most veneers require some level of tooth preparation prior to installation. However, that isn’t the case with GlamSmile veneers, which are minimally invasive. The level of tooth preparation needed will change from patient to patient, depending upon the condition of the teeth. It is also important to check on this aspect with your dentist and take an informed decision before you proceed with veneers. It is highly recommended that you do have minimally invasive dentistry which regrettably only a few dentists’ practice. Do not have your teeth destroyed as all that happens is weakening of your original teeth, make sure you keep your original teeth for life if possible.