The Disadvantages of Dental Veneers

Dental veneers are thin shells of plastic or porcelain that are bonded to your teeth to improve the appearance of your smile. Veneers are typically applied to the front and tops of teeth. They may be used to cover chipped or misaligned teeth or to close gaps between teeth. Veneers require less shaping and filing than crowns, but offer more permanence than bonding.

Poor Candidates

• Certain people may be poorer candidates than others for dental veneers. Those with poor, weak or unhealthy teeth, such as those with periodontal disease, decay, fractures or large fillings are not the best patients for veneers. Also, those who are tooth clenchers or grinders will most likely damage the veneers. Additionally, those who bite their nails or chew on ice, pencils or other hard objects may damage the veneers.

Process and Cost

• The costs for dental veneers vary according to the type of veneers used. For composite resin veneers the cost is about $250 a tooth. Porcelain veneers average about $900 to $2500 a tooth. Lumineers are $700 to $1000 a tooth.

  To receive dental veneers, you will need an average of four visits to the dentist. Part of the process involves removing half a millimeter of surface enamel from the teeth to be repaired through veneers. A local anesthetic will be necessary for this.

Future Problems

• Some patients complain of sensitivity after receiving their dental veneers, particularly to cold or hot foods and liquids. This is due to the removal of enamel. Veneers are permanent, so if the results are not entirely satisfactory, you will have no options to correct them. Matching shades is not a perfect process either; you may not like the difference between teeth that are veneered and those that are left alone.

  Veneers can be chipped or damaged, and then the entire veneer must be replaced and cannot be repaired. Veneers may not last more than 15 years. Tooth decay with veneers is still possible and may necessitate replacing veneers with a crown.