How Veneers Works
Because a veneer covers
the entire front-facing surface of a tooth, most cosmetic flaws can instantly be transformed. Once your
dentist places veneers, mild imperfections like chips, cracks, stains, small gaps, or slightly misshapen
teeth can all be fixed in just two appointments.
During the first visit,
Dr. G will prepare your teeth that will receive the veneers by removing a thin outer layer of enamel.
This
will ensure that the veneers will sit flush against your teeth and blend in with your smile. Then, he
will
take digital impressions of your smile and send the data to a dental lab. While the lab gets to work
creating your veneers, he will place temporaries to protect your teeth in the meantime.
A few weeks later, when
your veneers have arrived at our office from the lab, you’ll return for your second appointment.
We’ll make any last-minute adjustments, make sure you’re happy with your new look, and send
you
out into the world to enjoy a confident smile!
The Benefits of Veneers
By enhancing your smile
with veneers, you can enjoy several benefits, including:
- Versatility – Veneers cover the entire front of a tooth, instantly making a
plethora of imperfections disappear.
- Exquisite results – Each veneer is fully custom-made to match your smile,
ensuring a seamless appearance.
- Durability – Dental porcelain is able to last for 10 or 15 years as long as
you
take care of your teeth with regular brushing, flossing, and dental checkups.
- Confidence – If you were self-conscious about smiling or laughing in front of
others, veneers can remedy that. You’ll be thrilled to show off your results!
Understanding the Cost of Veneers
If you’re
considering veneers, you’re no doubt wondering about their price. So many factors can contribute
to
their cost, making it difficult to provide an estimate unless you come in for a consultation. While
veneers
admittedly cost more than many other cosmetic dental procedures, our patients have overwhelmingly
claimed
that they are an investment worth making because of their many unique benefits. When you’re
deciding
whether veneers are right for you, we’ll go over all of your options and help you make the most
cost-effective decision to achieve your unique smile goals.
Learn More
Comparing Costs of Different Cosmetic Treatments
There are many different cosmetic services to choose from, and each one has its own pros and
cons as well as its own price attached. Below, you’ll see how some of the most
common cosmetic treatments generally stack up, and how veneers can often be your best
choice from both a practical and financial point of view.
- Teeth whitening is a quick solution for patients with stained
or discolored teeth. Compared to other treatments, it’s relatively
inexpensive. However, it is also limited in the type of corrections that it
makes; even the best whitening procedure can’t hide a crack, fill a gap,
or reshape a tooth.
- Direct bonding is one of the cheapest cosmetic treatments you
can get, and much like veneers, it can address many different imperfections. It
can be a good option for those looking to make minor changes, but it’s not
suitable for those who want a more extensive smile makeover. Also, you’ll
have to have the procedure redone every few years.
- Braces can be used to straighten crooked teeth dramatically.
Like whitening, braces are useful for a specific type of correction, but they
won’t help with other cosmetic issues. Furthermore, they are typically
very expensive compared to other treatments.
- Veneers may not be as cheap as other services (though
they’re typically not as expensive as braces), but the tradeoff is that
they make multiple corrections at once, allowing you to transform your entire
smile in just a few appointments. This saves time and money since you
don’t have to pay for multiple treatments to address individual problems.
How to Make Veneers Affordable
Like all cosmetic treatments, veneers have been classified as an elective procedure by
insurance companies. In other words, they typically won’t be covered under your
plan. You still have a few options at your disposal to save money on a smile makeover:
- Our in-house membership savings plan will grant you a 15% discount (or more
depending on what plan you get) on veneers and most of our other services.
- Third-party financing through CareCredit will let you pay for your care in simple
monthly installments instead of a single lump sum.
- For those who are considering cosmetic enhancements but haven’t settled on a
treatment yet, we can offer a free initial consultation.
We look forward to helping you change your smile for the better, and we’ll work with
you to make sure that the final solution doesn’t end up breaking the bank. Please
call us today to schedule a consultation and learn more.
Veneers FAQs
What Happens to the Teeth Under Veneers?
Before placing veneers, Dr. G must shave off a super-thin layer of enamel from the front and
side surfaces of the teeth. Otherwise, your veneers would appear bulky and awkward.
Don’t worry; we’ll only remove about half a millimeter of enamel from the
affected teeth. This is just enough to create room for the veneers, but not enough to
compromise the tooth’s structural integrity.
It’s worth mentioning that veneers do not shield tooth from decay. Your veneered teeth
as just as likely as any other teeth to develop cavities. That’s why proper oral
hygiene is still important, even after you’ve received veneers in Eatontown.
Is It Painful to Get Veneers?
Dr. G will typically numb your mouth before the preparation and placement of your veneers, so
the procedures themselves shouldn’t hurt. You may, however, experience some
temperature sensitivity for a few days afterward. Your jaw might also be sore,
especially if you received a large number of veneers. Luckily, this discomfort is only
temporary, and it’s nothing that can’t be managed by taking an
over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen as needed.
How Many Veneers Will I Need?
The end goal of getting veneers is to make all of your pearly whites match. As such, Dr. G
almost always recommends getting an even number of veneers to balance out both sides of
your smile. Many patients receive veneers on “the social six,” which are the
six teeth that are most visible when you smile. However, it’s possible to only get
one veneer on a single imperfect tooth.
Do Veneers Feel Like Real Teeth?
Each veneer is carefully crafted to blend in with the rest of your smile, both in appearance
and feel. Dental porcelain is quite smooth and shouldn’t irritate the soft tissues
inside your mouth. Patients often report that once they’ve recovered from the
procedure, their veneers feel perfectly natural to the point that they even forget they
have veneers!
Is There Anything I Can’t Eat with Veneers?
Compared to your permanent veneers, temporaries are more fragile and not as strongly bonded
to the teeth. While you’re wearing them, avoid particularly hard or sticky foods
that could cause the restoration to break or fall off.
Once your final veneers are in place, though, you can enjoy pretty much all foods again. One
thing to note is that extremely hard items (nuts, ice, popcorn kernels, etc.) can still
chip or crack your veneers, although this is rare. You should also drink alcohol
sparingly, as it may weaken the bonding material keeping your veneers attached to your
teeth.
