FAQs: Do Veneers Ruin Your Teeth?

Far from ruining your teeth, dental veneers will help to safeguard them from further damage.

Veneers – ultra-thin tooth-coloured shells – conceal dental imperfections such as staining and chipped teeth. In transforming your smile, they give your teeth an added layer of protection.

17 July 2021

Are veneers good for your oral health?

Veneers improve your oral health by:

Strengthening the foundation of your smile.
Acting as an enamel substitute to protect your teeth.

This is why people with veneers get fewer cavities. As long as you continue to floss and brush diligently, the teeth beneath your veneers have a better chance of staying healthy.

Are all veneer treatments safe?

Getting veneers from a trustworthy dentist is perfectly safe. However, one type of “veneer treatment” has emerged that you should avoid.

If the disturbing “shark teeth” trend on TikTok is anything to go by, a lot of people are falling for this ruse – marketed as a faster, cheaper option.

Genuine dental professionals are appalled by this practice. One UK dentist posted a warning on TikTok about the oral health consequences of shaving teeth down to stumps to fit “veneers” – nerve damage and the pain associated with it.

While a veneer requires minimal modification of a single surface of the tooth, this preparation goes much deeper to create a peg on which to fit a crown. When more tooth structure is removed, it significantly weakens the tooth and leaves it far more vulnerable to future problems.

Are there different types of veneers?

There are two types of dental veneers, made from either porcelain or composite acrylic resin.

Composite veneers are a cheaper solution but dentists and patients favour porcelain veneers because they look more natural, are stain resistant, and are tolerated by better by the gums.

Porcelain veneers are also more durable. They can last 15 to 20 years, compared with the three- to five-year lifespan of their composite counterparts.

What are the benefits of veneers?

Veneers can improve the appearance of the shape, size and colour of teeth that are:

Chipped.
Stained or yellowed.
Misshapen.
Slightly misaligned.

Veneers will also fix minor teeth crowding and small gaps between teeth.

Are veneers expensive?

State-of-the-art technology behind modern porcelain dental veneers has seen them become a popular mainstream cosmetic dentistry option – more effective than ever and less expensive.

Quality porcelain veneers are a lifetime investment, costing around $1,500 to $2,500 per tooth. Payment plans may be available to spread the cost to suit your budget.