AIBU to think people are ruining their teeth with veneers

[enterone]

I keep seeing people going to Turkey for veneers where their teeth and filed down to tiny points and whiter than white 'teeth' are put in their place, not natural at all. I keep seeing things also saying these 'teeth' need replacing after x amount of years etc..

Oh dear, how many more people are going to explain Invasalign to me? It’s almost like all the dentists of Mumsnet are worried this thread is going to reduce demand.

@CobraChicken I think everyone thinks Invasalign is a corrective. In my experience it’s more of a gateway to other interventions.

[quote PollyPutTheKettleOnKettleOn]@GroovyGroovy definitely wear the night guard. I have one, very comfortable and makes a huge difference. Especially if you get pain from grinding. It really doesn't compare with the various trays and bits of plastic they stick in your mouth during examinations and treatments at the dentist if that's what you're worried about.[/quote]
Definitely - I've had a bite guard for years, as am a habitual grinder. Maybe going on 20 years. I couldn't tolerate a top teeth one, so I have one for the bottom; so much better. I wear it for 4 or 5 nights, and that seems to break the pattern - until the next time, of course!

[quote BingoBungle]@CobraChicken I think everyone thinks Invasalign is a corrective. In my experience it’s more of a gateway to other interventions.[/quote]
In what way? They are braces. Usually if you start invisalign you are doing it for cosmetic reasons so I suppose that might mean you are more tempted by whitening etc.

@BingoBungle

What a strange thread. So many people so indignant because apparently I don’t know what Invisalign is. FFS, I can google, of course I know what it is.

Invasalign teeth (like Turkish teeth) are a look. You start with a hidden Invisalign brace to resolve a snaggle, and before you know it you’re having composite bonding and “a touch of whitening” (see Ross from Friends) on the questionable and not disinterested advice of a dentist. Before you know it, you look like you’re wearing dentures, while your dentist is laughing all the way to the bank. Often not before they’ve tried to sell you Botox and fillers.

While dentists do them, it’s advisable and more usual to see an orthodontist for Invisalign, as they’re the experts in tooth movement. They would be unlikely to get involved in bleaching or bonding.

How strange you should start a thread about this, I was only talking to my dentist about Turkish veneers this morning! It’s a shocker and they look awful. The worst thing is most of the people having it done have perfectly normal teeth but want a ‘celebrity smile’ It reminds me of when people used to get their teeth removed and replaced with false teeth.

I bet there are very few people - in this era of fluoride toothpaste - that have lost their teeth. I know there are an awful lot of people whose insecurities can be exploited by dentists with minimal aesthetic insight.
I know what you mean but a lot of people do need dental work not just cosmetically. I've got terrible teeth at 60 despite fluoride toothpaste and going to dentists all my life. I have a mouthful of fillings and failing crowns and lost all my bottom molars on one side. I also fell and broke front teeth. I have an appt with implant dentist...my usual dentist is nhs, but am v worried re cost

@Pawtriarchal "While dentists do them, it’s advisable and more usual to see an orthodontist for Invisalign, as they’re the experts in tooth movement. They would be unlikely to get involved in bleaching or bonding."

The former orthodontist at my dental surgery is also skilled in tooth whitening and bonding. (He is also qualified to carry out dermal fillers.)

Just a few points

1. Uk dentistry is more expensive as we are so heavily regulated and our indemnity costs a fortune thanks to the claim culture
2. Labwork/metals are becoming increasingly expensive- even the best dentist cannot make a cheap rubbish crown fit well and look good
3. Most dentists do not make a fortune despite what the general public think
4. Nhs dentistry is not expensive- it has a max cost for patients and is massively underfunded
5. Dentists are healthcare providers first and foremost
6. Turkey teeth are dreadful-you are quite right that they will need replacing -it’s questionable how this can be done as it’s certainly not possible on nhs either time wise or economically
7. Personally I won’t touch work done abroad (see above point re claim culture) and will only do bare minimum to get these patients out of pain-advising yh to go back to the practitioner who did the work initially
8. Dentistry has been hit hard by covid regs, ppe, fallow time etc.

many dentists are close to burnout and are just trying their best. I’m aware these deviate slightly from the original point however after reading the first page of responses I wanted to express this

@Getoffmyshoes

They are crowns not veneers. I have a friend who had veneers done by a top dentist in the UK to correct small looking teeth and they look fabulous and very natural.

Do you happen to know the name of her dentist please?

I had 6 veneers put on my top front teeth when I was 17 (I’m 44 now). They were done by my NHS Dentist (for free because it was before I turned 18) however and they were done because I had a gap between my two front teeth (Madonna style ).

They matched them up to the colour of my other teeth so they look natural. Had them in for 27 years and haven’t regretted them once.

Have a mouth load of dental work. Worth more than anything else I own. Would be reluctant to do abroad. What if you need follow-up work as can happen? Veneers if you have to file down original teeth, would have thought only a good idea post an accident or illness. Look after your teeth! Wish I had when I was younger. 😔

@dustydriver

Yes, composite bonding would definitely help you! I had a very similar situation - one front discoloured tooth - composite bonding has been applied and it looks perfect

@TempName01

This is Katie Price having hers done

The NHS does not shave your teeth down to that degree. They shave them just enough to fit the veneers over the top of the existing teeth so they fit ok.

I would never go to somewhere abroad. Glad I got mine done on the NHS years ago, looking at that monstrosity!

I had veneers about 25 years ago - both of my incisor teeth were weirdly small, like milk teeth.
I was advised they might need replacing after ten years, but they're fine.
not bright white - same colour as the rest of them, never had any problems.
Looking back, I don't suppose anyone else particularly noticed them, but I was quite self conscious of them.

I had them done in the UK by a dentist I knew and trusted - I don't even like getting my hair cut by someone that doesn't speak English (my doubts confirmed about a year ago by a mad turkish barber who when I said I wanted one side done with clippers, echoing the existing style, and I think he would have done my whole head with clippers if I hadn't stood up from the chair and screamed at him).

I had bulimia for 20 + years , finally beat it but my teeth are now a complete mess. I'm 40 and have no enamel left so they are horribly yellow and they are all worn on the backs so very thin. The back teeth have holes. I would love implants but can't afford them. 😩. Even crowns, I need so many I can't afford. I am sooo desperate..It has totally wrecked my confidence, I never smile as I'm so self conscious. Can any 'experts advise what options I have left pleeessse !

@GroovyGroovy the only other thing that might help with your teeth grinding is botox in your masseter muscle (in your jaw) - I've heard of it giving good results, but you'd need to top it up regularly and it's a big-ish muscle so probably not cheap.

@BingoBungle

What a strange thread. So many people so indignant because apparently I don’t know what Invisalign is. FFS, I can google, of course I know what it is.

Invasalign teeth (like Turkish teeth) are a look. You start with a hidden Invisalign brace to resolve a snaggle, and before you know it you’re having composite bonding and “a touch of whitening” (see Ross from Friends) on the questionable and not disinterested advice of a dentist. Before you know it, you look like you’re wearing dentures, while your dentist is laughing all the way to the bank. Often not before they’ve tried to sell you Botox and fillers.

So you don't think people should have braces to correct wonky teeth in case they lead down a "slippery slope" to cosmetic work? That makes no sense!

It's not a 'look' either - unless you're saying that having straight teeth is a 'look'?

@Sab1981 sometimes your dentist may be able to refer you to a Dental Hospital to get them treated, often the treatment there is free or very heavily subsidised, might be worth investigating

It's not a 'look' either - unless you're saying that having straight teeth is a 'look'? confused

I wonder what that posters teeth are like lol. I had invisalign because my teeth needed straightening. Then I got crowns on my front teeth because I needed them due to having root canals as a teen and they were discoloured (internal bleaching can only do so much). They scanned my teeth with a 3d scanner and they match the size of the ones they filed down perfectly and were colour matched to my other teeth, which yes I had whitened, but not as bad as Ross from friends Now I'm not embarrassed to smile, especially living in the US where it's pretty normal to have perfect white teeth. Now when I got back home I notice how bad a lot of peoples teeth are. Don't blame them for going to turkey!

@GroovyGroovy

Since we have so many dental experts on here may I ask a question?

Every time for the last 10 years I go to the dentist he suggests a fitted tooth shield to wear at night. He says I am wearing my teeth down on their tops through grinding them at night and soon the enamel will be gone.

The thing is I don't fancy wearing a great big plastic gummy thing in my mouth at night. If it gets to the stage where the enamel does wear down, is there something I could do? Only interested in medical, not appearance.

Otherwise, touchwood, my teeth are in pretty good nick for my age (62).

Would love to know if any experts on here (there seem to be!)

Why on earth wouldn’t you, if recommended by your dentist?!? You sound childish; you don’t “fancy” it? You only have one set of teeth, surely it’s in your best interest to look after them. And no, there’s no way to re-grow enamel in your teeth once you’ve worn it down.

They look so false, i don't actually like them!

Would you mind sharing the details of where you got yours done? I've been quoted £20,000 for missing teeth and cracked teeth and fillings, but I'm worried about going abroad and being scammed. I also have a small child and a baby so would I be able to take them or best to go alone?

I think they are ok if done to replace a damaged tooth or a couple of teeth. However when people have a full set of bright white veneers they simply look stupid.

Am in Ireland and I always feel sick reading dental threads. I already had bad teeth due to an very slight (so they didn't fix) overlap in my front teeth (still there) and two baby teeth that never became big teeth so were removed but with each child I lost so much calcium. At the time we had money issues and with even a check up being a hundred euro I ended up losing 3 more teeth as I couldn't afford root canals. I am now too embarrassed to go to the dentist and just keep my mouth shut all the time and dream of a lottery win so I could get my teeth fixed on the quiet!!