For many years, traditional porcelain veneers have been a popular alternative to transform stained or misaligned teeth into a beautiful, bright white smile. Recent advances in veneer technology has led to the development of prepless or minimal prep veneers that can be an excellent alternative for many patients.
Veneers are wafer thin shells of porcelain or similar material that are bonded to the front of the patient’s teeth to create an aesthetically pleasing smile. Veneers can be a very effective and relatively inexpensive solution for stained, yellowed, and misaligned teeth. The entire process can be completed in a matter of a week or two and typically requires only two or three office visits. Ease of placement and excellent results have made veneers a popular alternative to braces, whitening, caps, and other far more invasive and time consuming procedures.
However, placing traditional veneers requires shaping and preparing the surface of the patient’s teeth. This procedure requires numbing with anesthetic and results in the permanent loss of the tooth enamel. Once the veneers are placed, there is no going back.
Prepless veneers are attractive because they are so thin that they require no surface preparation or, at worst, very minimal surface preparation. Anesthetic is usually not required and the veneers can be removed without damaging the patient’s teeth.
For the right patient, no prep veneers can be an excellent alternative. They may not be the best choice for severely crooked teeth or heavily discolored teeth. Your cosmetic dentist will thoroughly examine your teeth and explain your options depending on your particular situation.
