No-Prep Veneers – Carrollton, TX
Easy & Conservative Smile Transformation
Dr. Dillard and our Carrollton team want you to love your smile, but we understand that not everyone is ready to commit to traditional veneers. Fortunately, no-prep veneers offer a slightly easier and more conservative method for smile transformations. This treatment can renew your confidence in your smile without forcing you to make a permanent commitment. Would you like to learn more about no-prep veneers? Continue reading below, or get in touch with us to request a cosmetic consultation.
What Are No-Prep Veneers?
A veneer is a thin tooth-colored dental prosthetic that gets placed on the outward-facing surface of a tooth. Its job is to modify the tooth’s appearance by hiding imperfections like chips, cracks, and discoloration.
Traditional veneers are made of porcelain, and even though they are very thin, they still require that a bit of tooth enamel be removed before they are placed. Otherwise, they may not adhere well, or they could cause your smile to look bulky. No-prep veneers can also be made of porcelain, but they are even thinner. Therefore, little to no enamel removal is necessary.
The Process of Getting No-Prep Veneers
The no-prep veneers process usually takes two or more appointments. During the first appointment, our team will make any necessary modifications to your teeth. In many cases, no enamel removal is necessary. In other cases, a very small amount must be removed. Then, we will take impressions of your teeth. The impressions, along with detailed design notes, will go to the laboratory that will fabricate your veneers.
Once your no-prep veneers are ready, you will return for another appointment. Once we verify that the veneers meet our expectations, we will attach them to your teeth.
The Benefits of No-Prep Veneers
No-prep veneers come with some major benefits:
- They can look similar to traditional veneers.
- The treatment process can be reversed if you change your mind.
- No-prep veneers are very durable.
- The treatment is highly customized, so you can expect your veneers to be a perfect complement for your unique smile and facial structure.
- They can last for a decade or longer if they receive proper care.
Understanding the Cost of No-Prep Veneers
The cost of no-prep veneers depends on how many you are getting and a range of other factors. During your cosmetic consultation, we can work out a treatment plan for your unique situation and provide a cost estimate. Because the design and placement of veneers involves a lot of detail-intensive work, they tend to cost more than most other cosmetic treatments. If you wish to pay for them in affordable monthly installments, you may be a candidate for low-interest financing through CareCredit.
No-Prep Veneers FAQs
How Many No-Prep Veneers Will I Need?
Honestly, how many no-prep veneers you need will depend on your situation. The number could be high or low based on your smile’s specific flaws.
No-prep veneers are meant to make your visible teeth match. If many parts of your grin have chips, cracks, or stains, you may require a large quantity of them – 8, 10, 12, etc. In contrast, you’d only need one shell when the issue is a single cracked or broken tooth. The goal in either case would be the same: having every part of your smile blend seamlessly with the others.
Can No-Prep Veneers Be Used for Bite Corrections?
No-prep veneers can’t “correct” your actual bite; they don’t alter the position of your teeth or jaw. However, the shells can make it look better than before.
Consider a patient with a mild open bite. Given no-prep veneers, this person’s teeth would appear longer and wider, allowing them to seem to line up correctly. That means the patient’s open bite won’t be visible or apparent anymore; every part of their grin will seem well-aligned.
Still, dentists only use no-prep veneers for bite issues that don’t cause major health problems. They’ll instead recommend orthodontic work if your smile’s stability is at risk.
Do No-Prep Veneers Give You a Lisp?
In some scenarios, no-prep veneers can give you a lisp. It all depends on the specific situation of your smile.
A lisp from no-prep veneers usually stems from muscle memory. When your tongue isn’t used to the shells’ presence, its movements can affect how you pronounce certain words. (That especially applies to any terms that involve the “s” and “v” sounds.) This organ will eventually adjust, but you’ll have a temporary speech impediment in the meantime.
Of course, you can do a few things to speed up your adjustment. One idea is to slightly reduce the thickness of your no-prep veneers in certain areas. On the other hand, you could consistently and frequently practice.
Will I Still Be Able to Drink Coffee with No-Prep Veneers?
Rest assured that you can still drink coffee with no-prep veneers. Thanks to the shells’ design, they can endure the effects of your morning cup of joe.
Similar to regular ones, no-prep veneers use stain-resistant porcelain. This material is non-porous and prevents particles from dark-colored foods and drinks from seeping beneath it. That being the case, you can drink coffee without worrying about potential stains.
That said, “stain-resistant” isn’t the same as “stain-proof.” Coffee could discolor your veneers if you drink it excessively or carelessly, ruining your treatment results. You should only have it in moderation to ensure your shells last as long as possible.