Veneers

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Anyone got a full set of veneers?

There's nothing "wrong" with my teeth, the bottom row are a bit crooked and it's noticeable when I talk but it's not awful, just a little annoying cosmetically speaking. The top row are fine, could probably do with some serious whitening though.

I like the look of veneers and they seem to be hugely popular at the moment. Are they worth it? I like the perfect smile they give but have heard you need to shave your real teeth down to pegs which scares me a bit!!

I don’t have them but quite honestly I think they will look completely out of fashion in a few years, very much “of the time”.

The way they prepare your teeth and then how you have to have them redone for life is terrifying.

Your teeth sound fine. Nothing some whitening wouldn’t sort and potentially invisalign for the bottom.

Yes this is one of my biggest concerns @ShirleyPhallus that they will go out of fashion and we will all look back and think thank god I didn't jump on that bandwagon!

Your natural teeth have to be slightly damaged int he process. I wouldn't damage perfectly good teeth for anything

Your natural teeth have to be slightly damaged int he process.

Slightly damaged?! Look at what they do!

Does it not depend on what veneers you are having? Composite vs Porcelain?
Or am I completely off?

I'm sure I've seen someone I know on the way to the dentist because they're composite had fallen off after x amount of years and their tooth looked normal underneath ...

@ShirleyPhallus

If you are considering cosmetic dentistry go to a good specialist.

Now days for veneers the enamel doesn't need to be preped and are very thin so look natural.

Also whitening and Invisalign might be a good option.

It depends what type you have as to whether they damage your natural teeth. I have Lumineers. Your teeth don’t have to be drilled down for those. I had them to replace some awful ones that were done on the NHS when I was 13 - my teeth were damaged due to me being on antibiotics continuously for over a year as a child. Unfortunately the NHS veneers did damage my teeth similar to the photo above. I have had my Lumineers for almost 12 years with no issues whereas the previous ones were continually falling off and being replaced. My current dentist who fit the Lumineers gets them made in the US as he says that he can’t find a lab in the UK which produces such good quality work. No one has any idea that I have veneers as they are very natural. My dentist bleached my own teeth first and then had the Lumineers made to match.

Will look in to lumineers thanks bunsy!

I asked about veneers last year because I have worn enamel on the bottom of my front ones due to bruxism. My dentist said absolutely no way, the teeth are healthy, and look fine. She suggested I have an air polish thing to brighten them up, and said I was very self-critical, and no-one else would ever notice any damage. She said she would only recommend veneers if absolutely no other option.

I had the air flow thing. My teeth are very straight thanks to orthodontic work as a kid, and now gleaning white.

I am really grateful my dentist didn’t just see £££!

What Shirley has posted are crown preps not veneers

Some people will get all their teeth crowned, this is not the same as veneers which are almost like a false nail stuck on your tooth. A very small amount of prep is necessary for veneers.

It depends what you want to achieve with the veneers. Not everyone is suitable for veneers (hence why some end up with full crowns), often composite build ups give a better result. Never go in with a "I want veneers", you want to go in with a "I want my teeth straighter, whiter, better shape etc" that way the dentist can work out what's best for you.

I would start with a course of whitening. If you want veneers it is probably best to whiten your teeth first anyway. Once you have whitened your teeth then see you how feel.

I would make sure to visit a trusted cosmetic dentist, but personally I would always go for invisalign and whitening over veneers. Maybe with some composite or the odd veneer, not a full set.

I would never crown prep teeth for aesthetic reasons and I don't know any British dentist that would do what shirley has posted. You don't need to worry that that is going to happen to your teeth, unless you want to Turkey or USA

my dentist talked me out of having a lot of crowns down as ruined a lot of the tooth base....i had a windfall and wanted perfect teeth...!! he did composite work instead...not all white and shiny but look natural.

DishRanAwayWithTheSpoon
Porcelain veneers do indeed require tooth material to be filed down. Once you have them you will always need to have them. Composite veneers are stuck onto teeth like a stick on nail.

I had composite bonding on my front 4 teeth, much less harsh than veneers as don’t do anything to teeth underneath...£99 per tooth.

Before and after pics attached

damn I'm a dentist. I know how much prep is necessary for a veneer, I said a very small amount.

Some composite veneers would still require prep, composite veneers and porcelain veneers are similar thing but different materials, composite builds up or aesthetic composites are different, most composite work is not veneers.

Sometimes traditional porcelain veneers need no tooth removal at all, although the end result with these isn't as good.

Either way I really wouldn't get a full set of veneers, a good cosmetic dentist can make a plan for improving the appearance of your teeth without just veneering them all.

I have a veneer on a broken front tooth. They did file it down first, not hugely but enough that the tooth was noticeably smaller.
I would never get veneers by choice. The top of the tooth where the veneer meets my gum is sensitive, I can feel the back of the veneer against my tooth and the veneer is raised against the rest of the teeth by a good millimetre leading me to think if I had all my teeth done I'd look like a horse (and I think people with full veneers do look like their teeth are too big)

I have them on my front two teeth because I had pretty bad fluorosis and also weird jaggy edges. Had them when I was 18 I think, then re-done early late 20s when they broke at a predictably inconvenient time (now 37). Will have to get them done again at some point which will cost a fortune no doubt so I'm trying not to think about it. There's no way I could go without them as the front of the teeth has basically been filed off .

They're not scary white as I had them deliberately slightly off white to match my other teeth.

I would really think about whether you want this, especially on all your teeth as they will cost an absolute bomb to replace.

Nooo get invisalign instead

DishRanAwayWithTheSpoon
Any thoughts/ideas on whitening or improving tetracycline teeth? I hate mine.

They look really fake and obvious

I would get them done unless it was absolutely needed