Veneers
First used in the 1930s, there’s no doubt that porcelain veneers have their place in cosmetic dentistry, and the resin composite types are also reliable options. What makes them a good option for correcting your smile? Here’s a breakdown:
- Efficacy: Both porcelain and composite veneers leave teeth looking brighter and whiter and effectively correct gaps, chips, and minor misalignments. The overall success rate, as well as patient satisfaction, is very high.
- Stain resistance: Veneers have been found effective in preventing tooth staining for up to five years. However, poor dental hygiene can cause this discoloration to return.
- Durability: Porcelain veneers are expected to last up to 15 years. Resin composite veneers don’t last as long, but a robust 80% are found to last more than five years, and within seven, you may need a replacement.
However, there may also be disadvantages to traditional veneers. These include:
- Invasiveness: Having traditional veneers installed is a more invasive procedure. In order to prepare the tooth, the dentist will need to reshape and grind it, which generally calls for local anesthetic or other pain management. It’s also irreversible.
- Time: While there’s some variation, you can expect multiple appointments and a treatment timeline of up to four to six weeks when you have veneers placed. The caps need to be shaped and crafted based on imaging and impressions of your teeth, which often happens off-site. In many cases, you wear a temporary set before the final ones are placed.
- Costs: There’s a great deal of variability when it comes to the costs of traditional veneers, but on the whole, they tend to represent the costlier option. The costs range from $925 to $2,500 per porcelain veneer and $800 to $1,500 per composite.
Lumineers
Along with other no-prep veneer options, Lumineers offer a number of immediate benefits:
- Less invasive: Little to no preparation, shaping, or grinding of the tooth is necessary for Lumineers. The procedure is pain-free and anesthesia isn’t needed.
- Quicker results: Lumineers and other no-prep options are popular because they’re faster to put in place. Fewer visits to the dentist’s office are needed, and they’ll be quicker. Lumineers can also be taken off or replaced.
- Costs: Lumineers are often considered the comparatively cheaper option, overall, though much depends on the individual case. For no-prep veneers, you can expect to pay $800 to $2,000 per tooth.
Still, there are two primary drawbacks with no-prep veneers:
- Limited efficacy: Some cases of staining and discoloration or more damaged teeth can’t be treated with Lumineers or other no-prep options. No prep veneers are thinner and more translucent than the porcelain or composite types, so they may not be effective in some cases.
- Less durability: Whereas, like traditional veneers, Lumineers can last five to 20 or more years, they’re a little more susceptible to damage. Therefore, special care needs to be taken when brushing these. Much depends on the material used to bond the no-prep veneer to the tooth in terms of longevity.