Veneers: Save or Splurge?
Veneers are one of the most popular cosmetic treatments amongst patients as they can disguise a multitude of sins. Veneers are essentially like a thin coating that covers the front part of a tooth. If you know what acrylic nails are like when you attach them to an existing finger nail, it’s pretty much the same thing.
Veneers can help to treat the following cosmetic issues:
- Dark, stained teeth that don’t respond well to teeth whitening
- Crooked teeth
- Short, worn down teeth
- Irregular or misshapen teeth
When it comes to veneers, you can either save or splurge. There are two types of veneers, the more expensive option is porcelain veneers, and the cheaper option is composite veneers. I’ve listed some details about both types of veneers below.
Porcelain veneers are:
- Custom made by a dental technician to fit your teeth and are bespoke and individualised
- Very natural looking
- Don’t stain or discolour
- Can take a few weeks to make, so you may need to wear temporary veneers
- Are more expensive as they are more labour intensive, approximately $1000-$1200 per tooth
Composite veneers are:
- Custom made by the dentist, and are completed in one visit
- Can stain or discolour over time, so may need to be replaced every 5 years or so
- Are a cheaper option, approximately $300-400 per tooth
Some other things to consider before you decide on veneers is also whether your teeth need to be moved prior to doing the veneers. You may need to consider Invisalign clear aligners to move the teeth to their optimum positions so that the veneers can be done more conservatively. You may also want to consider teeth whitening prior to your veneers too, as the colour of both porcelain or composite veneers cannot be changed once they are done unless you replace them.
It’s best to speak to your dentist about your options and decide what is best for you. If you’re concerned about what your teeth will look like and want to be involved in the design process for your new smile, think about visiting a Digital Smile Design certified provider. More information here.
If you would like to find out more about veneers, please call our friendly Claremont dental team on 6143 5655 or book online via this link here.
