Do veneers look fake? This is a particularly interesting question, especially coming from a dentists side of things. You see, may patients are looking for different results from their veneers. What this means is that in some cases, yes they will look fake and in others they absolutely won’t.
Why Do Some Veneers Look Fake?
Most people, when asked about veneers, think about the bright white dazzling smiles of famous celebs. What they don’t think about are all of those smiles that they didn’t realise were actually veneers. This is why there is a perception that veneers look fake when in fact, generally only the deliberately fake looking ones look fake. There are some exceptions such as very low quality treatments in which the only option is to look unrealistic even if the aim was to create a natural looking smile.
The Celebrity Look
Pioneered by Hollywood’s most famous, the celebrity veneers look is one of bright proportions. They wanted people to know that they have expended on styling their teeth. This concept has spread through to the general public who often ask for a show stopping smile. Celebrities such as x and x have gone for this style of teeth as did Carol, a veneers patient who has experienced going through the treatment. Here’s what she said about why she went for the celebrity veneers look:
“Going for the more outlandish look was always the way I would go. I didn’t really have to think about it too much. I mean, when a person wears make-up or gets there hair done you can tell it’s ‘fake’ and thats fine. The main thing is that it looks better. I feel the same about teeth. I feel that my new veneers look much better and can be appreciated when they are perfectly white and perfectly shaped. For me is is like buying a designer bag or something. I want to be able to show off my teeth and have people ask ‘oh wow, have you had your teeth done?’. I love the style, they are perfect for me and they fit my personality perfectly too.”
The Natural Veneers
It is most common for our patients to ask for veneers that look natural. By natural, they want to achieve a perfect smile but one that does not look manufactured at all. Hailey chose to go for a more natural appearing set of veneers and thinks that they have completely changed her life for the better:
‘Hands down the best thing I have ever bought for myself. I mean, people always compliment me on my teeth now. They think they are MY teeth which does make me feel better. There is just something about the realistic look of them that makes them that much more appealing. I sometimes look in the mirror and forget that the teeth aren’t actually real!.”
How Are More Natural Looking Veneers Different?
It is mostly achieved back in the lab. You would be surprised at the level of detail that can be harnessed during the fabrication of cosmetic veneers. In some cases, little dents and lines are added to the teeth to give the impression of wear and tear similar to normal teeth. After all, if a veneer looks too polished and blemish free then it would hardly look realistic.
In Conclusion
Well, it all comes down to personal preference. If you want your veneers to look like real teeth then they very much can. If you want them to look clearly off the shelf then that is entirely possible too. The key note to take away from this, though, is that it takes much more skill to pull off treatment for realistic veneers. Cosmetic dentists go through hours and hours of training to develop the skills needed in order to make your veneers appear to be perfect teeth that still look like your own. I cannot stress enough the importance of choosing your cosmetic dentist wisely. If you choose an unskilled practitioner at a very cheap price then don’t expect to be happy with the results.
What does the process of getting veneers look like?
Possibly the most crucial step in your veneers journey happens before the treatment even starts. Before anything happens it is vital that your cosmetic dentist has the opportunity to fully evaluate your current situation and if your teeth are in a suitable condition to make the veneers treatment viable. This is just one reason that you need to consult with an experienced dentist. An experienced dentist will be able to accurately tell you if the veneers treatment will work for your particular case. If your teeth are not in a suitable condition and the treatment goes ahead then you are at a high risk of damaging your dental health and making things much worse in the future. During this time, you will have the chance to talk frankly with your cosmetic dentist. You will be able to talk about your objectives and how probably they are with a dentist who wants the best for you.
Time to make an impression!
After the preliminary discussions our head dentist, Dr Dan, will use a special dental putty to make an impression of your teeth. At the same time he will document the current shade of your teeth so that when your veneers are fabricated at the dental laboratory they will match up with the colour of your other teeth creating a seamlessly natural smile. The lab is full of very talented dental technicians who will use their knowledge and experience to carefully create replica veneers designed and shaped just for you. These will be returned back to the dental surgery where they can be fitted to your teeth. This allows you to see how the final result will look and lets you effectively try out the veneers before having the final set made. If, after this period you are happy with the appearance of your replica veneers we will progress with the final fitting.
Time for the final fitting!
Now comes the most important and technical part of the process. This is where the quality and experience of your chosen cosmetic dentist will ultimately pay off. Dr Dan of Bamboo Dental has performed a large amount of veneer fittings during his time as a cosmetic dentist and this has enabled him to gain the experience to make sure that your veneers are fitted in the absolute best way possible. This will ensure that they will not only look great but they will feel comfortable and stand the test of time too!
