Looking for a Cheap Smile Makeover

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I want to get my top teeth improved. They’re all discolored. My dentist is suggesting composite bonding for them at a price of just $3000 total. I would jump on that but have one reservation. I chipped a tooth a couple of years ago that knocked a good portion of my tooth off. My dentist fixed it with dental bonding. While my dentist did make the tooth whole again, the bonding part is very obvious and has been from the beginning. Now it is much more stained. I’m not sure I want my front eight teeth looking like that. He said the next option was porcelain veneers but they are really expensive. I have found there are some online veneers that are much less expensive. They pop over the front teeth. Is this a viable option for me or is there something I should be aware of?

Loren

Dear Loren,

porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth

I am going to start with your dentist’s first suggestion of dental bonding. I’m going to strongly suggest you do not use this for your smile makeover. First, he obviously does not have the cosmetic skills required to do a beautiful job with advanced cosmetic procedures, such as the dental bonding. Though, I suspect you have already figured that out.

When you are getting a complete smile makeover, porcelain veneers are the go-to procedure. When done in the hands of a skilled cosmetic dentist, it can give you a beautiful, natural looking smile that will last for years.

The snap on type of veneers you are considering are not at all like the porcelain veneers provided for you by a dentist. The ones online that snap onto your teeth are made of acrylic. They will not look as natural. From close up it will be obvious they are fake. Plus, because they snap over your teeth, they tend to look a bit bulky.

If you truly want a smile makeover, I suggest that you wait and save up for the porcelain veneers. Though, you may want to find a more experienced cosmetic dentist to do the work.

Before you do that, I did have a question. The only thing that you mentioned fixing about your smile was the discoloration. A complete smile makeover would typically be for fixing more than just the color, but also the shape and the size. If that is what you had in mind, then by all means save up for the porcelain veneers. However, if all you needed was to adjust the color, teeth whitening would be the right solution. It will also cost you thousands of dollars less.

This blog is brought to you by East Cobb Dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.

Buying Dental Veneers Online

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I have a couple of defects with my smile. I went to my dentist in order to get it repaired and he recommended I get porcelain veneers. The cost he quoted me seemed astronomical so I did some calling around and that is about the average. Wow! So, I looked online and it looks like you can get some do it yourself veneers that just snap onto your teeth. I can get a complete set for around $700 dollars. Some were more, but that was about the most common price. Is this a decent way for me to go?

Duke

Dear Duke,

A porcelain veneer being held up to a tooth

Getting snap-on veneers works for some people as long as they keep their expectations pretty low. It is not going to give you the gorgeous smile that you could get with porcelain veneers. Porcelain veneers are custom designed to give you a smile makeover that can change the shape, size, and color of your teeth. Because they are made of tiny wafers of porcelain they look just like natural teeth. They’re also permanently bonded to your teeth allowing you to just go about living your life.

Snap on veneers are going to be made of acrylic. They will not look as natural, especially up close. As they snap over the teeth, they can look bulky depending on the shape of your smile. The one benefit is that if you don’t like them, you’re not stuck with them. You can simply unsnap them from your teeth. Be aware that they will only last a few years and then you’ll have to replace them.

If you do decide to go this route, the best brand is Snap-on Smile. However, I would still do it through a dentist and not online. The companies who sell these directly to patients have no way of fitting them to your bite properly. If you want them to be comfortable, some adjustments have to be made to them.

This blog is brought to you by Marietta Dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.