Veneers: Pros and Cons of Getting Veneers

May 5, 2021 · 3 min read

A beautiful, Hollywood-star smile is a dream for pretty much every adult. But few people stop to think that a healthy tooth color has nothing to do with a snow-white shade — strong, healthy teeth are naturally ivory-colored. Modern dentistry now offers a whole range of solutions for improving both the color and the surface texture of teeth.

Dental veneers are a modern way to restore the integrity and beautiful color of teeth. Patients choose this procedure to hide small defects, micro-cracks, rough texture, and even slight crookedness in the front teeth.

What Veneers Are

Veneers (from the English word "veneer," meaning a thin facing layer) are thin shells that cover the outer surface of the enamel. The original type is a ceramic shell, made in a lab from an individual impression. There's also another kind, where surface defects are covered with composite material. Hence the two types:

• composite — the composite material is applied directly in the patient's mouth in a single visit;
• ceramic — the shells are made in a lab and placed indirectly, over several stages.

Composite veneers aren't recommended for teeth with removed nerves or significant enamel defects: the material stays smooth for only around 2 years, and achieving a precise fit is difficult. Lumineers deserve a separate mention — the thinnest ceramic shells, used purely for aesthetics, though they're a less durable treatment option.

Stages of Getting Veneers

• Consultation: identifying issues, digital impressions, photos.
• Fitting temporary restorations: evaluating aesthetics and function, preparing the teeth.
• Bonding: isolating the teeth, checking the fit, permanently securing the veneers.

Indications for Veneers

• darkening of a tooth with a removed nerve;
• chips and cracks;
• insufficient tooth length;
• pronounced diastemas or gaps in the smile zone.

Sometimes teeth need to be straightened with braces before the procedure — if teeth are significantly crooked, a veneer would require grinding down more of the tooth, which can harm the tooth's health.

Are There Limitations?

At the first consultation, the dentist assesses whether the procedure makes sense. For teeth that are already straight and healthy, proper whitening is often a better option. The main contraindications are a pathological bite without prior orthodontic or prosthetic correction, and untreated teeth. Veneers also aren't recommended for anyone who doesn't take daily hygiene seriously: poor care leads to decay and gum recession around the tooth necks.

Pros and Benefits

• High aesthetics — ceramic shells are visually indistinguishable from natural teeth.
• Durability — ceramic veneers last over 10 years, composite ones 3–5 years.
• Hypoallergenic — modern ceramics are biocompatible with body tissue.
• Resistance to coffee, tea, wine, and tobacco stains — unlike composite.
• Fast turnaround — usually no more than 14 days from first visit to final bonding.

Drawbacks and Downsides

A major downside of veneers is the high cost and the need to grind down the enamel (usually 0.2–0.3 mm for straight teeth, more for rotated or tilted ones). A ceramic shell can't simply be removed — it has to be ground off. Other drawbacks include possible discoloration of the shell over time, enamel and gum hypersensitivity if the technique isn't followed correctly, and the need to treat any oral health issues beforehand.

While the permanent veneers are being made (10–14 days), the prepared teeth are covered with temporary acrylic or plastic shells, so the patient can carry on with normal daily life.

Why Get Veneers at Dobrozub

• Individuality — a one-of-a-kind shape and shade for every patient.
• Strength — work with Kyiv's top dental technicians, using a full-body ceramic veneer staining protocol.
• Precision — the entire process is monitored under a microscope.
• High-tech approach — digital scanning instead of traditional impressions, and photo-based planning with room for individual adjustments.

The result depends directly on the dentist's experience, the precision of the ceramic shells, as well as the dental technician's skill and the quality of the materials used. Veneers are an excellent solution for correcting surface enamel defects, especially discoloration, but they come with both pros and cons. We recommend deciding together with our doctors whether veneers are the right call, or whether whitening alone would be enough.