Veneers provide the ideal way to transform a smile, particularly if teeth are malformed, chipped, cracked, or badly discoloured. Add to this the fact that we live in an image-conscious world, and it’s easy to see why cosmetic dentistry treatments like dental veneers have exploded over the past decade. In fact, 2020 alone saw porcelain veneers as the most requested cosmetic dental procedure
But while dental veneers provide people with an instant and life-changing smile transformation without the need to undergo surgery, they do have their disadvantages as well as their benefits. With this in mind, we’ll talk about the pros and cons of veneers so that anyone considering the procedure can make a fully informed decision. Let’s dive straight in.
Dental veneers – The pros
Covering up a myriad of sins
Cosmetic dentistry can fix most dental problems using teeth whitening, composite bonding, or fitting lifelike restorations such as crowns. In some cases, however, treatment is not enough to resolve the issue. Teeth whitening might not eradicate all staining or yellowing, while an unevenly sized tooth may give the look of being too small.
Because dental veneers are attached to the tooth’s front surface, they can hide issues completely. Veneers can provide an even white smile or make an unevenly sized or spaced tooth appear perfectly aligned.
Long-lasting restoration
Dental veneers, particularly porcelain laminates, are a long-lasting restoration that can withstand everyday chewing and biting. With the appropriate oral care and attention, there is no reason why porcelain veneers cannot last many years. A 2018 study, for example, showed that dental veneers last ten years or more in most cases, and in some cases, they have been known to last 20 years or more.
Considering cosmetic dentistry procedures like porcelain veneers aren’t cheap, that’s a considerable advantage when costs are relatively high.
Tough, durable, and stain-resistant
You may think that anything that replaces tooth enamel must be super strong, and you’d be right. Although the compressive strength of dental porcelain is high (350-550 MPa), the tensile strength is low (20-60 MPa), meaning that it isn’t prone to shattering or fracturing either. Perhaps equally as important is the fact that porcelain dental veneers are resistant to staining, so they remain whiter for longer.
Since veneers cannot be whitened with teeth whitening products, having a stain-resistant material is no bad thing.
Natural-looking smile
When paying good money for a cosmetic treatment, you need it to be as lifelike as possible. Dental veneers made from porcelain have a translucent, light-reflecting quality to them, a bit like natural teeth. When fitted by a highly skilled dentist, it can be hard to sport the difference between a natural and a veneered tooth.
So there you have it, the advantages of dental veneers. However, as this post is all about the pros and cons of veneers, we can’t talk about the pros without mentioning the cons. So let’s take a look at the disadvantages.
Dental veneers – The cons
It’s an irreversible process in most cases
One of the main cons of veneers is that, in most cases, a small amount of natural tooth enamel is removed to accommodate the porcelain veneer. If this process wasn’t carried out, the dental veneer might appear uneven as it sits in the smile line. As cosmetic dentistry is all about the combination of functionality and aesthetics, removing a tiny sliver of tooth enamel is often necessary.
Because tooth enamel cannot grow back, it does mean that undergoing dental veneers is an irreversible process. In other words, once you decide on getting porcelain veneers, there’s no going back, and you will always have to have them.
Can be expensive
Can be expensiveAs already alluded to earlier, the cost of getting porcelain veneers doesn’t come cheap – up to $2000 per tooth, to be exact. That said, this is balanced by longevity. So while the procedure may initially be expensive, it can prove a cost-effective treatment in the long term.
To help with the cost factor, many dentists provide payment plans that allow you to spread the cost of treatments like veneers that may otherwise not be covered by your regular health insurance policy.
Cosmetic fix
It’s worth remembering that cosmetic dentistry is all about creating balance and symmetry within a smile. One of the cons of dental veneers is that they don’t actually ‘fix’ a problem in the traditional sense of the word.
For instance, a veneer won’t straighten a misaligned tooth, but it will give the illusion that the tooth is indeed straight. The same goes for whitening. A veneer covers over the blemished tooth underneath.
As long as you’re okay with the illusion of a cosmetic fix, there shouldn’t be a problem, particularly when veneers can create such an instant smile transformation. Nevertheless, while this can be listed as both pros and cons of veneers, some patients may see it as a disadvantage.
Hopefully, we’ve given you enough information about veneers and whether it’s the right treatment for you. If you’d like to discuss the matter further, feel free to contact Sydney Laser Dental Care. We’ll discuss the pros and cons of veneers for your given situation so you can make a fully informed decision.
Call or book your smile consultation today.
Pyrmont: (02) 9158 6213
Illawong: (02) 9158 6756
Sylvania Waters: (02) 9159 6083
References
Harper’s Bazaar – What A Dentist Wants You To Know About Veneers
https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/beauty/a35029160/veneers-composite-porcelain/#:~:text=According%20to%20a%20recent%20study,requested%20procedure%20is%20currently%20veneers
NCBI – The Success Of Dental Veneers According To Preparation, Design, And Material Type.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6311473
Science Direct – Dentistry And Dental Porcelain
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/dental-porcelain#:~:text=Although%20the%20compressive%20strength%20of,can%20withstand%20is%20%3C0.1%25
Smile.Com.Au – Veneers treatment guide, cost, procedures, Types, And FAQs
https://www.smile.com.au/dental-treatments/veneers
