Abbott Family Dentistry, LLC

First of all, I am all in favor of veneers so don't let my comments talk you out of them. Just read what I have to say about them, then decide for yourself if they are right for you.  Veneers are a wonderful way to correct the appearance of your teeth.  In fact they can look so good that they can give you that Hollywood smile.  Crowded and stained teeth can be made to look amazing. There are relatively new veneer techniques that don't even require the tooth to be drilled on. There are times when the veneer is definitely the restoration of choice!  So basically I am pro-veneer but only when the situation calls for a veneer.  When just cosmetics is the reason for getting veneers please make sure you know all the alternative treatment options.

The no drill veneers should not be done if they will make your teeth look too big. Sometimes braces and tooth whitening can achieve the same result and not cost any more.  In most cases the teeth do need to be drilled on for the veneer to be done. Remember, drilling on the tooth is forever and if not needed should be avoided!  When treatment is planned and done properly, veneers can last a very long time.  As they don't last forever, can de-bond and fall off, and yes you can get a cavity under them, doing veneers as with any dental procedure has potential for a future cost of replacing them.

My favorite veneer case may actually be my favorite dental treatment of my career.  A new patient came to see me for a second opinion and price quote.  She was getting married in 8 months and wanted straight and white teeth for her wedding pictures. Another dentist told her he could do veneers and gave her a price quote.  When I saw her she asked if I could do the veneers and asked how much.  I did an exam and indeed her bite (the way the teeth bite together) was great and she was an excellent patient for cosmetic veneers.  I noticed that her crowding was very slight and her teeth were not really that yellow.  When I mentioned that getting braces, having them removed for the wedding, and whitening her teeth before the wedding was also an option she was surprised as the other dentist did not mention this alternative treatment option.  I then told her that veneers don't last forever (the term permanent filling should be outlawed) and that someday she would have the expense of replacing some or all of them.  The other dentist had not mentioned this either.  Then there is the cost!  In her case it was thousands of dollars less expensive to get braces and whiten her teeth.  She opted for the ortho referral, got the braces, had them removed before the wedding, and I made her whitening trays so she had a straight and bright smile for her wedding.  As I do not do braces, my contact with her was for the exam, the tooth whitening, then she moved out of the area after getting married.  Though I only saw her a few times, not doing veneers for her will be one of the high points of my career.