There are many brands of fake costume veneers that claim to be able to give you a bright new beautiful smile, but don’t be fooled–these are not true porcelain veneers. We are talking about veneers that you put on over your natural teeth as a single large unit. There are many brands of these veneers, including True Smile, Instasmile, and the ironic Secret Smile. These clip-on veneers don’t look realistic and can be harmful to your teeth. They can be uncomfortable to wear, and they aren’t functional. Although they may seem inexpensive, they are not worth the money.

 

Unrealistic and Unattractive Appearance

You might think that these costume veneers can improve the appearance of your smile, but that’s unlikely. The truth is that these veneers look very fake. Everyone will likely be able to see that they’re not your natural teeth.

This is partly because they often don’t fit well. People can see that you’re wearing something over your natural teeth. But it’s also partly because of these veneers’ poor design. All the sets typically come with the same set of teeth, so you end up with a smile just like everyone else’s, even though that smile may not exactly fit your face.

The falseness of the teeth makes them look unattractive, but they also look unattractive in their own right. Even the thinnest of these will look too bulky on the front of your teeth. This won’t just be visible when you smile, but can make your lips bulge all the time. When you do smile, the false tooth material doesn’t look like natural teeth. It’s plastic, and not like natural tooth material at all.

They Can Be Damaging to Teeth

Clip-on veneer companies promote the fact that no enamel is removed to make room for them. But the truth is that the friction of putting your veneers on and taking them off, and, if you keep them in while eating, they can rub against your teeth, causing more wear. And food can become trapped between the veneer and your teeth, leading to increased risk of decay, and potentially causing a bad smell.

When we prepare teeth for porcelain veneers, we remove only a small amount of enamel under controlled conditions. And then the veneer is placed to help cover, protect, and strengthen your tooth. This is a much safer procedure and more likely to produce long-term results.

Uncomfortable to Wear

Because of the poor fit of these veneers and the way they fit over your natural teeth, many people report that these are very uncomfortable fake teeth to wear. Because of the way they bulge out in front of your natural teeth, many people experience irritation on the inside of their lips. Some even report difficulty closing their lips over the clip on veneers.

In addition, these poorly fitting veneers can throw off your bite, potentially putting you at risk for TMJ, including symptoms like jaw pain and headaches.

Not Functional Restorations

Clip-on veneers are not designed to be functional. That means you can’t eat in them, and you may not be able to talk in them. If you try to eat while wearing these restorations, they can break, wear down, or damage your teeth (see above). Sometimes companies will tell you that you can eat with these in, but read on: they also usually say they’re not responsible for damage caused by eating with them.

They are designed for only one thing: to make your smile look attractive, and, as we said, they may not even do that well.

Not Worth the Money

Although many people are drawn to these fake restorations because of their low price tag, the truth is that they’re not worth the money. The semi-fitted ones that you make an impression for are still relatively expensive, and you’re unlikely to be happy with the results.

Even if you do like them, they are unlikely to last you long. Many people report replacing these veneers once a year–or more–it doesn’t take long for the cost to add up to that for a full set of porcelain veneers, which can last ten years or more. Clip-on veneers are more likely to stain and be damaged by acidic foods, again, shortening their lifespan. And when you add in the risk that you might have to make repairs to your natural teeth, these clip-on veneers can be very expensive indeed.

A Great Value in Cosmetic Dentistry

Instead of looking for a cheap alternative, you should be looking for a great value in cosmetic dentistry. And porcelain veneers are a great value. They can dramatically transform your smile, are fully functional restorations, and they can last for years, even decades. If you have a combination of cosmetic and functional problems, our Vitasmile approach can assess your smile and recommend a comprehensive solution.

To learn more about what makes veneers worth the investment, please call (843) 706-2999 today for an appointment with a Hilton Head area cosmetic dentist at Beyond Exceptional Dentistry.