Will Cheap Porcelain Veneers Cost Me More in the Long Run?
Posted by Annmarie SanSevero
I have wanted porcelain veneers for years, but the prices I have been quoted vary dramatically. One dentist offered to do them for significantly less than the other dentists I consulted. His online photos look okay, but he is not accredited in cosmetic dentistry. I don’t want to overpay just for a credential. Is there really that much difference between veneers from one dentist and another?
Ellen
Dear Ellen
Porcelain veneers can produce one of the most dramatic transformations in cosmetic dentistry. Unfortunately, poorly planned veneers can also cause significant aesthetic and dental problems. The difference between one dentist’s fee and another’s may reflect differences in the quality of the materials, laboratory, planning process and—most importantly—the results you get because of the dentist’s cosmetic training and skill.
Choosing a dentist based primarily on price could leave you paying considerably more to correct the results later. In fact, many highly skilled cosmetic dentists find that a great deal of their new patients come because the results they received from another dentist left them with a smile worse than the one they went there to fix. I have files of cosmetic dentistry horror stories from patients in that position.
Cosmetic Dentistry Is Not a Recognized Dental Specialty
Many patients assume that a dentist who advertises as a cosmetic dentist has completed specialized cosmetic training. The sad truth is, there isn’t a recognized specialty in cosmetic dentistry. Because of that, any general dentist can call himself or herself a cosmetic dentist, regardless of how much additional education that dentist has received.
Dental school provides the foundational training needed to perform procedures such as crowns and veneers, but that is not even close to enough. Creating a beautiful smile requires more than knowing how to prepare a tooth and bond porcelain to it. It requires an understanding of smile design, facial aesthetics, proportion, color theory, translucency and the way light interacts with natural teeth.
Patients are left floundering trying to figure out who received that post-doctoral training and has the artistry to create a beautiful smile. The good news is that the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) recognized this problem and came up with a solution through their accreditation problem.
AACD accreditation is a way patients can identify dentists who have demonstrated both high technical knowledge and skill as well as artistry, though examinations and presentations of cases they’ve done.
What Can Go Wrong with Inexpensive Veneers?
You mentioned the cheaper dentist’s photos looked okay. Not wonderful, okay. There are also some dentists who will use stock photos, instead of before and after pictures of cases they’ve done. So, the photos may look okay but his or her results will not.
A bargain price does not automatically mean that the work will be poor. However, a dentist who cuts costs somewhere in the veneer process may produce a disappointing result.
Here are some of the more common problems we’ve come across with patients who’ve come in from other dentists, who botched their work. These aren’t even the horror stories:
- Teeth that appear bulky or too long. Some described them as horse teeth.
- An unnaturally white or opaque appearance.
- Veneers that are identical in shape and look artificial.
- Dark lines or visible margins near the gums.
- Inflamed or bleeding gum tissue.
- An uneven or uncomfortable bite.
- Veneers that chip, loosen or fracture prematurely
- Pain from bonding material left
Some problems can be corrected with minor adjustments, but others require the veneers to be removed and replaced. Because tooth preparation is generally irreversible, replacing veneers is not as simple as returning an unwanted purchase. The dentist must remove the existing porcelain without damaging the underlying teeth, reassess the health of those teeth, then create an entirely new set of restorations.
If the original dentist removed too much enamel, the case may become even more complicated.
The Ceramist Matters Too
Your dentist designs your smile, but a skilled dental ceramist translates that design into porcelain. High-quality veneers are individually crafted to reproduce the subtle color variations, translucency and light-reflecting properties found in natural teeth.
A lower fee may sometimes indicate the use of a high-volume laboratory that produces standardized restorations. These veneers may technically cover the teeth but lack the individual characterization needed to make a smile look natural.
This is one of the reasons Dr. Weber works with a master ceramist. He wants to ensure patient’s receive porcelain veneers tailored to their patient’s facial features and aesthetic goals. A smile they will be proud of for the rest of their lives.
Look Beyond the Initial Price
Cost is a legitimate consideration when choosing cosmetic dental treatment. Just bear in mind that porcelain veneers are a long-term investment in both your teeth and your appearance. Before accepting the lowest quote, compare what each dentist’s fee actually includes.
Ask about the dentist’s cosmetic credentials, planning process, laboratory, provisional veneers and policy if you are unhappy with the final result. You should also review before-and-after photographs of cases completed by that dentist—not stock photographs supplied by a laboratory or manufacturer.
This blog is brought to you by the only AACD accredited dentist in Franklin, TN, Dr. Christopher Weber.
Click here to see his smile gallery.
