Hi. It’s Dr Michael Ghobrial here from Sure Dental at Wavell Heights in Brisbane.
Last Friday, I met a new patient named Jack. He lives locally in Clayfield and wanted to talk about improving his smile and getting some veneers. During our conversation, he asked me, “Michael, I’ve read online about no-prep veneers. They sound pretty good! Can I use them?”
As dental veneers are getting more and more popular, I’m getting asked this question quite often, so I thought I’d record this video to share with you three things to know about no-prep veneers.
Number one, no-prep veneers mean no preparation. It means we don’t remove any tooth structure at all. They are purely additive veneers, which is a positive in terms of preserving tooth structure. It’s also beneficial for the dentist because all they need to do is scan the teeth.
However, there are two main disadvantages of having no-prep veneers. No-prep veneers became very popular about 12 years ago but have since reduced in popularity as data about their longevity has emerged.
Let me explain the two main issues I have with no-prep veneers.
- In all the cases I have seen, even those done by very good dentists and ceramists, the teeth tend to look very full. Since we’re completely adding material, they appear particularly bulbous around the gum area and have a somewhat fake look. Patients end up with a fuller smile at the gum level, which lacks the natural harmony typically found in well-prepared porcelain veneers.
- Now, the second problem is that the veneer is over-contoured at the gum level. Regardless of how skilled the ceramist is, there is often too much material around the gum line. As a result, this over-contoured area becomes difficult to clean, leading to failures after a few years. It’s challenging to clean, causes gum irritation, and can even lead to decay.
- There’s no preparation, making the process quick and easy. There’s no tooth reduction, which is a positive aspect. And it’s very convenient for the dentist.
- It often results in bulbous teeth that appear full and unnatural.
- Maintaining and cleaning them is very challenging, which impacts the longevity of no-prep veneers.
That’s why here at Sure Dental, we rarely consider doing no-prep veneers for our patients. Our philosophy is always structure preservation, as well as achieving the most natural, harmonious smile.
So, I hope I gave you a better understanding about prepless veneers. If you have been considering improving your smile with veneers, we would love to look after you.
Here at Sure Dental, we offer flexible payment plans, so you can achieve your smile faster.
Simply contact us on 07 3113 9698, complete the form on our website, or reach out to us via our social media, and we will help you organise your smile consultation. See you in the next video.
