Dr. Enrico DiVito is a general and cosmetic dentist who specializes in laser dentistry at the Arizona Center for Laser Dentistry in North Scottsdale. A graduate of Arizona State University and the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in San Francisco, Dr. DiVito returned to Arizona and established a private practice in 1980. He founded the Arizona Center for Laser Dentistry in 2007. Here, he tells us how he determines whether a patient is a good candidate for veneers.
Veneers are a conservative restoration option that we can use to correct uneven, worn, discolored, or chipped teeth in a variety of patients. They can also be used as an option to fix irregular spacing issues that many people suffer from.
When someone gets veneers, what happens is that some—but not all—of that person’s tooth has to be filed down. The veneer itself is a small laminate that is bonded to the surface of the tooth. What that means, is that patients are able to have veneers done without the removal of any teeth in many cases. Instead, what we will do is simply file down just one side of the tooth rather than extract any teeth as a whole. So getting veneers means minimal removal of the teeth in the mouth, or no removal at all.
We see the removal of teeth as an extravagant option, which is why veneers—which do not require that—are a preferable treatment method for a lot of people. In most cases, we view veneers as a conservative restoration option. Since veneers are just a small laminate piece that is bonded to the surface of the tooth, I like to tell people it’s somewhat like those press-on fingernails that women use. That is just another way of describing what they are that a lot of people understand.
We can do veneers on men and women of all ages. An example of a good candidate would probably be anyone who comes into the dentist’s office and just wants to freshen up their smile. Many people might feel like they haven’t achieved their goal of a bright white smile with teeth whitening treatments alone, you see. So if whitening treatments aren’t enough—because really, none of these treatments can help 100%—then we would typically suggest veneers for that patient.
The younger patients who come in to my office are definitely usually focused on getting veneers as a way to make their entire overall look just that much better. A lot of our younger patients are in the “scene” and want to look like their favorite movie star, let’s say. So veneers are a common treatment for people who want a smile that they consider a movie-star smile.
If older patients come into our practice, meanwhile, and are asking for veneers it is usually because they want to look better for their age. They typically want to refresh their smile by making it whiter, and they are considering veneers because, like I said, maybe the whitening treatment they tried didn’t work enough.
Another reason I see a lot of older patients coming in is because they want their smile to match the rest of their outward appearance. Many of these older patients may have already had plastic surgery on their faces, but having teeth that look aged can easily give away how old they really are.
The overall cost of veneers can range depending on the material used and how much work the patient needs done overall. However, a ballpark figure I give out is that veneers can cost $500 to $2,000 a tooth, with porcelain veneers being the most expensive option when it comes to the type of veneer someone is having put in.
So, by performing this conservative cosmetic procedure called veneering, we are able to get immediate improvement in the look, shape, and color of the teeth with minimal pain or discomfort on the part of the patient.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
