Welcome back to the Diaz Dental Studio (DDS) dental blog, where Dr. Juan Diaz and his team chime in on everything from general dental advice to in depth conversations about your oral health.
This blog article offers an introduction to Dental Veneers.
Today, we’ll introduce readers to the world of dental veneers, a cosmetic dental option that’s risen dramatically in popularity in recent years. Whether you’ve been thinking about dental veneers, or you know someone who is, this will give the low-down on types of veneers, the process for veneers, and the best dental veneers Dallas has to offer.
The Rising Popularity of Dental Veneers
While most people think that dental veneers are a fairly new concept, the invention of dental veneers is approaching its 100th birthday. In 1928, a Californian dentist invented dental veneers for Hollywood actors who wanted to temporarily change the appearance of their teeth for film shoots. While these first veneers were meant to be removed immediately after filming, Hollywood elites took an interest in permanently whiter, more symmetrical smiles.
Now that technology has afforded us improvements in terms of durability and cost-effectiveness, dental veneers have gained a new degree of popularity over the past decade or so. The global market size for dental veneers was $1.55 billion in 2021, and experts predict the industry will grow to be worth $2.3 billion by 2028.
Three FAQs about Dental Veneers
When interacting with patients, the DDS team tends to get three main questions on dental veneers:
1. What Is A Dental Veneer?
Most people know that dental veneers are a type of tooth covering, but they don’t know much beyond that. Dental veneers are thin layers of material arranged over the front of the tooth and are designed to enhance the overall appearance of your teeth. Dental veneers can be made from three types of shell-like materials: porcelain, composite and ceramic.
The materials differ in cost, with porcelain being the most popular and the most expensive (since porcelain veneers are indistinguishable from natural teeth appearance-wise).
2. Implants vs Veneers: Which is better?
Dental implants and veneers are completely different in virtually every way. The only thing they really have in common is that both can improve your smile aesthetically. Main ways that they differ is in terms of patient candidacy. While patients in the process of losing their teeth or interested in getting replacements for missing teeth are good candidates for dental implants, veneers are best for those with healthy, but visibly less desirable mouths (aka chipped teeth, broken teeth, or stained teeth).
3. Why Are Dental Veneers Popular?
We learn and communicate so much information through our smiles, and are listed as a top attractive feature for finding romantic partners (you can read more about that here). But natural teeth can develop stains, chips, and gaps that leave us feeling self conscious or reluctant to smile. By covering those teeth with natural-looking prosthetic covers, all through a short period of outpatient treatments, you get back all that lost confidence. Veneers are a minimally-invasive way to get the bright white smile you’ve been dreaming of.
Comparing and Contrasting Types of Veneers
There are three main options for dental veneers types, and they differ in terms of appearance, cost, and durability:
1. Porcelain Veneers (Most Popular)
Porcelain dental veneers are highly sought because of their superior appearance and long lasting benefits (they can last up to 15 years). Porcelain veneers have the ability to look like natural teeth, so people around you won’t know you have veneers if you don’t tell them.
2. Ceramic Veneers (Least Expensive Durable Veneers)
Ceramic veneers can be made to match the shape, size, and color of a patient’s natural teeth. They’re also fairly durable, so you can trust them not to break or stain over time.
3. Composite Veneers (Minimal Removal of Tooth Enamel)
Composite dental veneers are made of a resin-like material. While they’re considered to be a cheap dental veneer option, they also have several drawbacks, including a five-year lifespan (last less than half as long as porcelain veneers) and a tendency to stain and chip over time. People can also usually tell that they’re fake.
Still, they have a few aspects that still make them an attractive option for dental veneers, including that they don’t involve removing as much enamel as porcelain and ceramic alternatives. And since there’s less prep work, that also means fewer steps to getting them placed- making is the best option for those wishing to minimize process duration.
The Process for Porcelain Veneers
The dental veneers process takes place over the course of weeks or months, depending on a number of factors, but it always involves the same six steps:
1. Initial Consultation for Dental Veneers
During a consultation for dental veneers, a dentist will examine your teeth, determine whether you’re a good candidate, and set goals based on what you can reasonably expect. At Diaz Dental Studio, Dr. Diaz offers free consultations for dental veneers (you can sign up here).
2. Treatment Planning
Once you make the decision to get veneers, you and your cosmetic dentist will develop a treatment plan, which can include everything from taking x-rays and impressions of your teeth to creating a 3D cast of how your teeth will look once the veneers are placed.
3. Tooth Preparation
If the initial consultation and treatment planning goes well, then it’ll be time to get your teeth ready. In order for veneers to be placed, a small amount of your tooth enamel must be removed. Since this can cause discomfort, your dentist should offer you options for local anesthesia.
4. Impression
Once your teeth are prepped and ready to go, your dentist will get dental impressions, which will then be used for your custom-made porcelain veneers.
5. Temporary veneers
Since porcelain veneers are custom-made to suit the dental impressions of each patient, the process can take a little longer than other options. While your dentist waits for a patient’s porcelain veneers to arrive, the dentist will protect the teeth using temporary veneers (tooth enamel is a protective tooth covering, so when it’s partially removed, it leaves your teeth more vulnerable to plaque).
6. Porcelain Veneer Placement
Once your custom-made porcelain veneers arrive, you’ll schedule an appointment to secure them with a special, long-lasting adhesive. You’ll have the option of a final follow-up, but it isn’t required if everything is going fine.
The Best Dallas Dentist for Porcelain Veneers
If you’re interested in transforming your smile in as little as six weeks with porcelain dental veneers, Dr. Juan Diaz and his team are ready to serve you. Diaz Dental Studio an expert provider of dental veneers and specializes in placing porcelain veneers. Dr. Diaz also prioritizes what’s best for a patient’s oral health, and therefore he leans towards proper oral hygiene and minimally invasive options before recommending more expensive procedures. He will provide comprehensive dental care that goes far beyond an immediate enhancement of your current dental appearance.
If you suffer from chipped, stained teeth, teeth that are too small, or teeth with such minimal misalignments that veneers can deliver instantly straighter teeth without braces, then consider taking advantage of free porcelain veneer consultation at Diaz Dental Studio (we also run occasional specials). To check out our 5-star rating and learn more about our top-rated Dallas dental practice, search for us online or go directly to our website.
References:
Perry, Christin. “Dental Veneers: Everything You Need to Know.” Forbes Health. https://www.forbes.com/health/body/dental-veneers/.
“A Brief History of Porcelain Veneers.” New Image Dentistry. https://www.new-image-dentistry.com/blog/2017/10/porcelain-veneers/.
“Dental Veneers Market Size Worth $2.3 Bn, Globally, by 2028 at 5.7% CAGR - Exclusive Report by The Insight Partners.” Global Newswire. https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2022/04/19/2424724/0/en/Dental-Veneers-Market-Size-Worth-2-3Bn-Globally-by-2028-at-5-7-CAGR-Exclusive-Report-by-The-Insight-Partners.html.
“Understanding Tooth Enamel.” Humana. https://www.humana.com/dental-insurance/dental-resources/tooth-enamel.
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