If you are exploring porcelain veneers to address your smile concerns, you should know that there are two major categories options: traditional regular prep or no-prep veneers.
For No-prep means dentists don’t have to drill your natural teeth or reduce your tooth surface to fit the veneers to your smile. No-prep veneers are similar to thin contact lenses. Because the porcelain is so thin dentists can bond to your teeth without creating significant bulk. There are many low prep and no-prep veneer options on the market today. Although not all cases lend themselves to being minimally invasive with tooth reduction, your dentist can tell you whether or not you are a candidate. As a candidate for no-prep veneers, you can have the smile of your dreams without drilling and without having to be numbed!
Traditional vs. No-Prep Veneers
The veneers themselves are simply thin, tooth colored shells that your dentist will bond to the surface of your tooth, or teeth, depending on how many you decide on. These shells are made of a very durable porcelain material. They can also consist of composite bonding, which doesn’t always repel stains as well as the porcelain ones.
Traditional veneer placement requires the removal of tooth structure equal to the thickness of the veneer. This allows the porcelain to lie flush with the other teeth. Sometimes more than just the enamel needs to be removed which makes the procedure irreversible.
With the development of stronger, more beautiful porcelains, we are now able to offer more conservative techniques. Low prep ceramics need to be extremely strong with minimal thickness.
With no-preparation veneers, there may be minimal preparation of tooth structure, but not to the extent required for traditional versions. There is no extensive grinding, cutting, or filing down. Because it is a less invasive procedure, there is often no need for a local anesthetic either, and patients can enjoy a lower risk of side effects. Both versions are adhesively bonded to the facial surface, or front, of the teeth.
Advantages of No Preparation Veneers (laminates)
The most obvious and compelling reason to go for no-prep veneers is that this is a non-invasive technique. Absolutely none of the tooth’s surface will be removed, so these veneers can be a great option for anyone who is worried about the removal of surface enamel. There will be no anaesthetic required during the procedure and the bond between no-prep veneer and enamel is extremely strong; these might be the quicker choice, but that doesn’t mean that you need to worry about them coming away when you’re eating or talking.
Porcelain bonds strongly to the tooth enamel, which means no prep veneers can last a long time if the tooth is in good condition. In most instances this procedure no longer requires patients to receive anesthesia since the drilling is not necessary.
Additionally, the fact that no enamel is removed means that you’re far less likely to suffer from any sensitivity to hot and cold drinks and food. This is common with standard veneers; it is a problem that sorts itself out after a few weeks, but it’s still a point worth keeping in mind.
Finally, no-prep veneers deliver immediate results, so you won’t need to have temporaries fitted. If you want to change your smile as quickly as possible, no-prep veneers are ideal.
Who Could Benefit from No Prep Dental Veneers
If you are planning on receiving ceramic veneers but you are not choosing them for a very dramatic change, you may not require any type of prep. Teeth may already be ready for placement, in which case there is no need to remove any enamel. Candidates for no prep veneer (laminates) are:
- Patients with relatively small teeth
- Those with irregular spacing or gaps between teeth
- Those who want to lighten yellowed and discoloured teeth
- Those with misaligned, fanged, or misshapen teeth
- Those with cracked or chipped teeth
When are Regular prep veneers required?
dentists may decide that you will benefit from regular tooth covers because you require more significant reduction for proper alignment. Perhaps you have significant problems with texture or want a dramatic change with the shape of your teeth. As a result, to create an impressive transformation and fit, prep is often required. Orthodontic treatment is often done to align the teeth so less or no drilling is required.
How Do I Give My Laminates the Proper Care?
Your veneers will require the same standard of care as your natural teeth do. This means that you have to stick to your regular schedule of brushing at least twice a day, for at least two minutes. Daily flossing is also highly recommended to maintain your veneers, much like it is highly recommended for your regular routine. With your veneers, not much has to change!
Proper care does extend beyond keeping them clean, however. Proper care means keeping them out of harm’s way – for this reason, you should avoid highly crunchy foods so as not to damage them. They’re durable, but they aren’t indestructible, and maintaining a habit of snacking on crunchy things may eventually wear them down, crack, or chip them.
If you have a habit of grinding your teeth, this could also spell out trouble for your veneers. The material is strong, but not strong enough to withstand constant pressure from your jaw – if you know you have a habit of grinding, particularly at night, it’s best to bring this up to your prosthodontist in the consultation so they can work around this. You may need to wear a guard for your veneers while you sleep to keep them in the best shape, and take steps towards breaking that habit while you’re awake.
Last but not least, don’t use your teeth as tools. Some people like to use their teeth to open up bottles or containers, and this can be incredibly damaging to the porcelain material. If you wouldn’t do it with your natural teeth, you definitely shouldn’t do it with your veneers!
How long do no prep veneers typically last?
Unfortunately, there isn’t necessarily a straight answer to this question. Your mouth is unique, and no two veneer cases will be completely identical.
However, there is an average amount of time that they last for, this amount estimated to be between 5 and 10 years. If you neglect them or don’t take care of them properly once they’re bonded, this amount could be on the lower side of 5 to 10 years. If you’re careful and give them the best care possible, they can stretch far beyond their estimated life span – even as long as 20-25 years, if given a high standard of care.
While you can do things on your own time at home to ensure that you veneers aren’t deteriorating, giving them the best care possible will involve keeping up with your professional cleanings every six months, and having frequent exams to ensure your dental health remains unaffected.
What If One of My Veneers Falls Off?
If this were to happen it would certainly be both alarming and upsetting, but try not to panic. Make sure that if you do lose a veneer, you locate it and save it. After you’ve done so, you’ll simply contact your prosthodontist for an emergency appointment, and they will do their best to fit you in as soon as they can. From here, they will be able to re attach it for you.
The absolute last thing you’ll want to do is attempt to re attach it yourself – this will never end well, nor will it be the same as having it bonded back to the tooth by a professional. You must avoid the crazy glue, or any other type of DIY repair at all costs!
The Disadvantages of No-Prep Veneers
Before rejoicing over the benefits of no-prep veneers, keep in mind that there are still a whole host of reasons to go with traditional permanent veneers instead.
The main problem that comes with no-prep veneers is that they only really work well with certain smiles. If your teeth are quite small, very even, and very straight, no-prep veneers are great. However, the fact that they are thin often means that discoloration is not very well hidden, and often a shadow will show through. This is unattractive, and it can result in the need for additional surface material. This will make the teeth appear bulky and unnatural.
No-prep veneers can also look a little bulky if your teeth are quite large, and they will do very little to fix a crooked smile. Additionally, it’s often hard to find a dentist who is trained to fit no-prep veneers. Ultimately, the reason you’re getting veneers is to reinvent your smile, and traditional permanent veneers get that job done more effectively than no-prep veneers.
