Veneers still getting pushback? It’s time to help your patients rethink

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Posted by: Dental Design 19th May 2022

Mention veneers to a patient who wants to improve their smile, quickly and conservatively, and there may be a slight pause and/or a look of surprise, before a polite but firm, “no, they’re not for me”.

The word “veneers” can still conjure images of bleach white, uniformly shaped teeth. With (no) thanks to certain celebrities and social media influencers, they do sometimes come with negative associations – you can find plenty of examples on Instagram of teeth that have been restored beyond the point of being a natural result. There is anecdotal evidence of patients bringing in examples of these, to illustrate what they don’t want. If other patients tell you they want to achieve perfection, a truly beautiful smile is one that is in harmony with the rest of the features, that belongs to the face and has found the right balance between an improved and natural-looking final outcome.

There are plenty of misconceptions around veneers, so point your patients in the direction of quality background reading to help them make the right decision, alongside the guidance and knowledge you will be able to share. Show them your work, so they can see that the smiles you’ve improved with the application of veneers do not all look the same; they’re unique in every case. But explain that you will go further than facial structure, as your treatment planning will consider their personality and lifestyle too. As for what they wish to achieve with cosmetic dentistry, veneers are a potential option for anyone who wants to change the shape and size, as well as colour of their smile. So, if teeth are stained or crooked, chipped or misshapen – and if they have healthy gums and good oral health – veneers could be the answer.

If too-white, too-straight teeth are now considered outdated, the latest techniques and materials for veneers will help a patient recapture their own smile, but better. The ‘new’ veneers are incredibly sophisticated, requiring a high level of skill and technique alongside artistic vision, with the dentist working with each patient to design a smile that fulfils all aesthetic and clinical expectations. In the right hands, the result will endure too. Many of the influencers who use social media platforms to show off their veneers had their treatment abroad, where it is considerably cheaper, even including travel and accommodation and wrapped up in a holiday package. The risks of dental tourism are numerous and there are plenty of stories about patients who had poor quality work outside the UK which needed to be fixed; there are stories from others who have no regrets, though. While weighing up the risks versus the advantages (cost, sunshine) is a personal decision. Aside from safety issues, veneers delivered from a clinic abroad, do tend to lean towards the more ‘cookie cutter’ final look, rather than one that is individual and natural.

If they choose your practice instead, their veneers may cost them more initially, but they’ll get better value in the long-term, as they’ll be shown how to keep the result beautifully maintained. Patients also get access to you, should anything go wrong, but you can also tell them that you use quality materials that support safe and conservative treatment delivery, removing minimal amount of healthy tissue during the process. The guarantee that you can avoid any irreparable damage to the surrounding dentition means veneers can be highly ethical. These materials are mechanically strong, and will also allow you to work quickly. BRILLIANT Componeer^® from COLTENE is an innovative veneering system for aesthetically beautiful and strong restorations that can be delivered in a single visit. Because the prefabricated shells are extremely thin, only minimal prep of the tooth tissue is necessary for treatment that is conservative as well as customised, with excellent shade matching possibilities, too. Great value and enduring, the possibilities for your practice, and advantages to your patients, could be huge.

Is it time to rethink veneers? Certainly in the past, they have suffered from a bad rep – and bulky-looking, unnaturally white smiles are no longer desirable. The ideal scenario for the modern patient is to receive treatment that has people asking, “You look amazing… but I can’t tell what’s different about you!” When you use the new veering systems, this become a possibility. You can offer treatment that is that is natural and bespoke; wonderful aesthetics and peace of mind that the result was delivered ethically and will endure, with care. When delivered by great dentists, using exceptional materials, veneers can will elevate a smile, giving an outcome that is both unique and authentic, a beautiful refresh that manages to dramatically improve and celebrate individuality.