MANILA — Small Laude, known for flaunting her lavish lifestyle on YouTube, continues her road to fame as she lands yet another endorsement deal.
The internet star has been tapped as the brand ambassador for the Center for Advanced Dentistry (CAD), which recently opened a branch at Shangri-La at Fort in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.
Laude, who has endeared herself to Filipinos with her rare combination of elegance and relatability, wanted to get veneers — or custom-made shells placed on the top surface of teeth to improve their appearance.
“I heard they are very good with veneers and that’s what I want… I saw it from my friends,” he told the media, referring to former actress-turned-politician Cristina Gonzales.
CAD’s physician-owners — Nelda Valencia-Eufemio, Mia Valencia-Angeles and Carlito Librando — said they are proud of their clinic’s “ultra-thin” veneers, which appear more transparent and natural compared to other dental veneers that are available in the Philippines and abroad.
Valencia-Eufemio said almost all of their clients — or 95 percent — are from abroad and fly to their clinics to get veneers. “We are proud of making Pinoy… They just spend a few days here, then they fly back. So dental tourism would be good,” he noted.
Want to get veneers yourself? Here are some things to know, as shared by CAD owners.
‘CHICLET’ IS OUT, NATURAL IS IN
Gone are the days when getting veneers would make you look like you had gum stuck in your mouth, Valencia-Eufemio said, noting how much older versions of these dental covers look like candy-coated Chiclets.
He said more modern veneers, like the ones they have at CAD, are thinner and more natural so they don’t look bulky when worn.
“It won’t look Chiclet anymore because it’s super thin,” he said with a laugh. “And we’ll be honest enough to tell you if it won’t suit you, if it’s too white, or if it’s too long.”
As for whether veneers chip or fall off easily, Valencia-Eufemio said they are generally durable, especially if done at reputable clinics. “But in the end it will depend on the end user,” he added.
SHARK TEETH?
A concern that many people share about veneers is that their natural teeth will be shaved off – often referred to as “shark teeth”.
Valencia-Angeles acknowledged that the procedure will involve some level of shaving off the tooth enamel, but only a small portion, so the veneers will fit better.
“People would always have this notion that the magic shark teeth… We just shave 0.5mm off your teeth, just to keep them straight,” he explained. “Because if we put the veneer over the teeth in hindi na-shave, it’s going to be bulky.”
“When we shave off the very minimum, it will replace the lost enamel. ‘Yung omilit na enamel, mapapalitan ng porcelain,'” she continued, referring to the material used to make their CAD veneers.
When asked if using veneers can long-term damage natural teeth, Valencia-Angeles said, “No because our veneers will be on top of your teeth. It will cover it, it will serve as a jacket over your natural teeth. Plus the cement that we use releases fluoride, so it’s doubly protected.”
CAN toothpaste beat veneers?
CAD owners were one in saying that the simplest way to a beautiful smile is to take care of one’s teeth. This means good oral hygiene and a regular trip to the dentist, or at least once a year.
Those looking to cover up alignment imperfections can turn to veneers as an option, though they were quick to remind the public that the process should only be done by a specialist.
“You have to go to a cosmetic dentist, number one. You can’t just go to a general practitioner,” Valencia-Eufemio said. “It’s not that I look down on them, but it’s different when you do veneers every day. You know what to expect and what to tell the patient. And if an emergency arises, we know what to do.”
Reacting to some of the viral dental hacks on TikTok, such as toothpastes that are supposed to be able to match or surpass the look that veneers provide, he said: “Toothpaste is just local, veneers are custom, personalized, everything is sent to the lab . And it’s made of porcelain.”
Valencia-Angeles, for her part, said: “Whiteness from whitening agents and toothpaste can only go so far. Hindi siya ‘yung if you want to achieve really white teeth. The only way to achieve that is with veneers Ms. Talaga. This (toothpaste) will whiten a few shades, maybe, but to get really white teeth, it’s the veneers.”
Laude, meanwhile, drew laughs from the crowd when she reacted to the idea of giving up certain foods to supposedly protect her veneers. “I won’t give up food, especially lechon!”
She then hastened to add that modern veneers are no longer limited by such things, citing the experiences of her friends. “I don’t think so, tell my friends, they just have to be careful what they bite, not so hard,” he said.
Valencia-Eufemio agreed with Laude, pointing out that their veneers can also handle coffee and tea. “It’s made of porcelain, so it won’t stain, won’t absorb the color of coffee or tea.”
