Benefits, Risks and Alternatives – Forbes Health

“No-prep veneers are ultra-thin porcelain veneers designed to permanently improve the shape, color, and overall aesthetics of teeth,” says Sean Kutlay, DDS, dentist and owner of Century City Aesthetic Dentistry in Santa Clarita, California . “Preparation-free veneers require minimal change to existing tooth structures,” adds Dr. Kutlay.

Unlike traditional porcelain veneers, no-prep veneers do not require extensive preparation or reshaping of natural teeth. “With veneer without preparation, [dentists] can achieve amazing, natural-looking results without the risk of damaging the patient’s tooth structure,” explains Dr. Kutlay.

Research shows that no-prep veneers are an excellent choice for patients who have generally healthy teeth and want to avoid decay. Many dental offices note that veneers without preparation can cost anywhere from $800 to $2,500 per tooth, depending on where you get them.

“No-prep veneers usually take two visits, 1.5 to 2.5 hours per visit, and the visits are usually a week apart,” says Bill Dorfman, DDS, celebrity cosmetic dentist at Century City Aesthetic Dentistry in Los Angeles. . Typical steps in a no-prep veneer process include:

• Consultation. First, you visit the dentist to discuss your smile goals to make sure no-prep veneers are a good choice. You may want to straighten your teeth, lengthen them, or simply make them look better with very little or no preparation for your original teeth. “Most patients want to optimize smiles in an easy, effective way,” notes Dr. Dorfman.
• Impression. The dentist then takes an impression or mold of your teeth. The mold is then sent to a dental laboratory so that the veneers can be made.
• Suitable. Once the veneers are ready, the dentist will check their fit. If everything looks great, they will prepare them for binding. Note that if your teeth are rotated or bulky, they may remove some enamel.
• Weld. The dentist applies a special adhesive to your teeth and places the veneers on top.
• Clean and polish. Finally, the dentist cleans off any adhesive residue and polishes the surfaces as needed.

Before choosing no-prep veneers, keep these pros and cons in mind.

Advantages

• No anesthesia. This procedure doesn’t involve anesthesia unless you’re extremely sensitive, notes Dr. Dorfman, so it’s a good option if you’re worried about having a reaction.
• Reversible. “They are probably the only kind of veneers that are reversible, meaning you can remove them without causing much damage to the underlying teeth. However, in my entire career, I have never had a patient ask for veneers to be removed,” explains Dr. Dorfman. A 2015 clinical report notes this as well, calling prepless veneers an “excellent restorative option” that exclusively adds material to healthy teeth without causing wear.
• Long term. Compared to traditional veneers, no-prep veneers have a longer life expectancy of 15 years or more, notes Dr. Dorfman. A 2021 comparative analysis showed that over a nine-year period, unprepared veneers exceeded the survival rate of porcelain veneers.

Disadvantages

• It’s not for everyone. If your teeth have significant damage, you may not be a candidate for veneers without preparation. “In some cases, it just can’t be done [no-prep] veneers without ending up with really bulky and unattractive teeth,” says Dr. Dorfman.
• Restrictions on color changes. “Since no reductions are made and unprepared veneers are extremely thin, we cannot easily control significant color changes,” notes Dr. Kutlay.
• Not offered by all dentists. Since the procedure requires a lot of skill and expertise, only some dentists offer no-prep veneers, so you may need to do your research to find one that does.
• Enamel can be removed: The dentist may need to remove some enamel from your teeth if they are bulky or baked. This can be dangerous as enamel is designed to protect your teeth from wear and tear.

If you want to explore additional ways to improve your smile, or find that you are not a candidate for no-prep veneers (due to factors such as teeth that are too damaged), your dentist may recommend porcelain veneers, which will change the structure of teeth and will provide a more dramatic transformation.

Bonding, which repairs smiles with a tooth-colored resin material, can be worthwhile for chipped, cracked or otherwise broken teeth, Dr. Dorfman says. It can also help if you have small cracks, fissures or gaps and want to reshape or repair your teeth. Compared to veneers, bonding resin is less stain resistant and can darken over time.

Dr. Dorfman explains that problems with your bite, or the spacing or alignment of your teeth, may warrant solutions like traditional metal braces or clear aligners.

If you are more concerned about appearance or color, you can also consider professional teeth whitening. “Teeth whitening can be a good option if your primary concern is stained or discolored teeth,” explains Dr. Kutlay.

“With proper home care and regular follow-up visits, no-prep and minimal-prep veneers have the ability to last over 15 years with proper maintenance,” says Dr. Kutlay. Proper care of unprepared veneers includes brushing and flossing with a soft-bristled toothbrush and non-abrasive toothpaste, she adds.

Most patients choose to replace their unprepared veneers, which are often considered a temporary fix, as they enter a different stage of life. When people get older, for example, they may opt for crowns.

No-prep veneers can be beneficial if you have minor dental imperfections and are looking for a faster, easier alternative to traditional veneers and other bite correction solutions. Consult a dentist to determine if it is the right choice for you.