Word is out that dental veneers are the secret to achieving a brighter, more even set of teeth – fast! In fact, dental veneers have become quite the trend recently, with numerous retailers jumping into the fray, following the scent of money.
These days, clip-on veneers promise perfect teeth for a fraction of the cost of the professional dental veneers you get at the dentist office, and the Internet and social media are ripe with rip-off tales by dissatisfied customers. Nevertheless, these retail companies reel in interested customers at a startling pace, all of whom hope to regain their confidence with a more beautiful smile.
Unfortunately, if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
Here’s a comparison between traditional dental veneers installed by dentists and the commercially available clip-on variety.
What they have in common
Both types of dental veneers start with getting dental impressions to create a mold of your existing teeth. The impressions help the lab workers create a custom set of veneers that, in theory, fit your mouth perfectly.
And that right there is where the commonalities seem to end.
Cost
Let’s start with the shiny gold nugget that draws most people to clip-on veneers: price. Basic clip-on models start at around $300 per arch, but if you want a more polished look you’ll have to dig into your wallet a bit deeper. Some YouTube reviewers spent upward of $1,500 on their clip-on veneers.
Traditional veneers can run into thousands of dollars, it’s true. It depends on how many of your natural teeth you want to cover, and price varies from dentist to dentist. Cost can vary from $900 to more than $2,500 per tooth.
But, as is the case so often in life, you get what you pay for.
Fit & Comfort
Your dentist has probably taken hundreds of impressions from patients during the course of his training and career. In other words, he has experience in creating molds that will ultimately result in great-fitting, comfortable veneers.
Clip-on companies, however, rely on your ability to take good impressions of your existing teeth yourself. An ill-timed wiggle or a misplaced squeeze can result in months of back-and-forth with the veneer seller until you achieve impressions that are good enough or, at worst, in a product you cannot return and wasted your money on.
Appearance
No one wants to end up with a row of Chiclets in their mouth. Yet if online reviews and comments are to be believed, that’s exactly the risk you will take with clip-on veneers. Odds are that some companies deliver higher quality clip-ons than others, but are you ready to sift through the sea of retailers that has popped up in recent months until you find the right one?
Countless consumers report receiving cheap plastic appliances that look and feel fake and deliver none of the confidence boost they expected.
Save your time and money with professional dental veneers instead.
Typically made of porcelain, professional veneers cover your teeth with an ultra-thin layer that corrects misaligned and chipped teeth. The dentist will also help you select the perfect shade of white for your veneers so you can smile brightly and achieve a dazzling look.
Which brings us to…
Durability
Porcelain is the material of choice for most people who decide to invest in traditional dental veneers, and a good dental lab will meticulously fashion your veneers to feel natural, comfortable, and reliable. Traditional veneers are permanent, meaning there is no need to remove them at night, or to eat and drink. You brush them like natural teeth. Best of all, with proper care they can last for 10-15 years or more.
Clip-on veneers work much like removable dentures, hooking into your existing teeth. Many brands advise against eating or drinking while wearing them and users report problems with breakage. Clip-ons should be carefully brushed and cleaned daily to keep bacteria from getting trapped beneath them and resulting in tooth decay.
Final Tally…
Save for the cheapest of clip-on veneers, this trendy type of veneers isn’t really cheap at all when you count the cost of shopping around until you find a decent product, opting for premium versions to achieve a natural and comfortable look, and replacing the prosthesis when it breaks after a year.
For a true movie star smile, contact your dentist and ask about “real” dental veneers.
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