If you're curious about veneers, I'm willing to bet that maybe you've got some stubborn tooth discoloration that at-home teeth whiteners or whitening strips haven't been able to correct, or, perhaps you chipped a tooth when you were younger and are over the fact that its grayish cast isn’t what you want staring back at you in the mirror. You might also just be unhappy with the size and shape of your teeth and want to improve your smile. Whatever the reason, dental veneers have become more popular than ever over the last few years, infiltrating our feeds on social media and piquing our interest.
But even though the before-and-after photos make veneers look super quick and easy, the process is much more involved (and expensive) than you might think. So, if you want to upgrade your smile or fix that wonky tooth, I want to ensure you're covered on the basics. To help lay out the facts, I sat down with Michael Apa, DDS, a cosmetic dentist in NYC, LA, Miami, and Dubai (he has done the teeth of every celebrity you care about, including Kylie and Kendall) to break down the different veneer types, the process, the cost, and the commitment, so you don’t run into any surprises down the line.
Why are veneers so popular?
If you haven’t seen the smile transformations I’m referring to, don’t worry, there are some good ones below. But aside from the legitimately surprising results, veneers are also popular for changing the appearance of your smile while still leaving you with realistic, natural-looking teeth—if you go to someone good (this is key!). The goal is to be minimally invasive, maintain the integrity of your original teeth, and give you the smile makeover of your dreams.
What are veneers?
A veneer is a thin layer of porcelain that is permanently bonded to your tooth to cover its natural color, shape, or positioning in your mouth. You can get a veneer for just one tooth (like if you tripped and fell when you were little, and now your tooth has a gray cast to it), on multiple teeth, or a complete smile's worth. You also have the option to either get partial veneers (meaning they don't cover your entire tooth) or full veneers (they cover the entire front of your tooth)—it really just depends on your needs and your budget.
Can everyone get veneers?
Although your dentist will make the final call, most people with good oral hygiene and healthy gum tissue can consider veneers if they don't like the look of their teeth or overall smile. Once you've been given the green light (in some cases, orthodontics might be necessary first), you've just gotta decide (with your dentist, ofc) what option is the best fit for your smile and bank account.
Veneers before and after photos:
If you're still a little confused about how veneers actually look IRL, allow me to direct you to my incredible before-and-after pic below, as well as a few more from some of Dr. Apa's patients. Since veneers are both an aesthetic and serious dental procedure, he highly suggests checking out examples of the cosmetic dentist's work to make sure you like their style, but—this is important—also ask for photos of smiles taken years later to see how the dentist's work has held up over time.
My before and after:
More before and afters:
What are the different types of veneers?
There are two different types of veneers: porcelain and composite. Let us discuss.
Porcelain veneers
Porcelain veneers are thin layers of porcelain custom-fit and bonded to your teeth. They tend to be stronger, longer-lasting, and better quality than composite veneers (more on that later), but also more expensive. Historically, molds were taken, and then a mock-up of teeth would be created off of that mold after it was poured in stone, and then a ceramist would have to cut and refine the patient’s mock-up with tools to shape the trial smile. “There was more room for error in terms of how someone’s smile replica would turn out with this process,” Dr. Apa explains. “But today, we’re using scanning technology, digital mockups, and 3D printing, to perfect and simplify the process,” which is as follows: a scanning device is used (instead of molds being taken), renderings are then handled digitally and printed, so that an in-house ceramist can work off of a perfect model of your smile. They then hand-layer in a lab (using different colored porcelain, so they can see how many layers are applied, which turns into a tooth-colored shade once it’s baked in the kiln) for an overall quick, seamless, unique, and fool-proof process.
Both types of veneers require multiple trips to the dentist, but porcelain veneers tend to be a bit more involved. First, your dentist will create temporary veneers made out of a liquid composite, almost like a blueprint for your new teeth. The veneers are very stain-resistant, so to find the perfect long-lasting shade, Dr. Apa says he'll look at a person's skin tone to make a color decision. "I always paint the temporary veneers the shade I'm thinking of doing, so the patient can envision it beforehand," he adds.
Once you commit to your veneer plan and figure out how many you need, your dentist will have you take more molds, X-rays, and photographs. Then, you'll come back to get fitted for temporary veneers and wear them for seven to ten days so you can see how your new smile looks IRL (Dr. Apa refers to this as a "trial smile"). Once you and your dentist agree on what you want, they’ll take a final set of scans or molds (depending on how advanced your cosmetic dentist is) and send them to a ceramist to duplicate. At Dr. Apa’s office, he has his own labs in-house at each of his offices, so everything is there in front of you, for you to watch and Dr. Apa to double and triple-check. “And what used to take us four days [regarding the prep of veneers] is now taking us two,” he adds. “We’re staying on top of technology as well, just not abandoning the most important part, which is the layering of the ceramic that’s still done by hand.” Then, when the porcelain veneers are ready, they'll be fitted to your teeth again to make sure they're a perfect match.
Composite veneers
Composite veneers are veneers made from tooth-colored composite resin, which tend to be more affordable than porcelain veneers (but also a little weaker and more prone to staining). For composite veneers, your dentist will use the same material as a dental filling (aka composite) and bind it to your teeth to reshape them. The process requires fewer (but longer) appointments than porcelain veneers, and the final result will rely heavily on the skill of the dentist.
FAW
Do they shave your teeth for veneers?
Yes, your teeth might need to be shaved down during the prep stage of veneers, but it really depends on your specific situation. For example, if you come in with large, gray-stained, crooked teeth, your dentist would likely have to shave them down to get the look you want. But if you have, say, short teeth and/or gaps in between your teeth, you won't require as much prep or shaving.
How much do teeth get shaved down?
How much is shaved for veneers also depends on your dentist. For Dr. Apa, for example, "90 percent of the time, I don’t need to shave away more than .5 millimeters to get all of these before and afters you see." (In case you're now reaching for a ruler, 0.5 millimeters is about the thickness of your fingernail—very minimal.) But! That's not necessarily true of every dentist, so make sure to clarify with yours first if you're concerned.
What's the difference between veneers and Lumineers?
If you've done your fair share of Googling, you might have stumbled across a no-prep version called Lumineers and wondered what the deal is. Lumineers is a brand of a specific type of semipermanent veneer and is a potentially more affordable option—emphasis on "potentially," because Lumineers don't last as long as traditional veneers. Lumineers don't require prep (there's no shaving down of the teeth first), but not everyone is a candidate, and not every dentist offers this product, so you'll want to check with your specific dentist first, if you're curious.
What are the disadvantages of veneers?
Veneers are permanent, but they're not forever. Let me explain. "Bonding cement is a substance that microscopically creates bridges from your real tooth to the porcelain, so the veneer adheres to your tooth and becomes one," Dr. Apa explains. "Think of it as the glue for a press-on nail—only you can’t get this one off once it’s stuck on."
So even though the bond is permanent, porcelain veneers only last for about 15 years, at which point they'll need to be replaced. To replace veneers, your dentist will gently and carefully drill off the old veneer and start the new process over. See? Permanent, and also temporary.
If you've got commitment issues—or you're going to a dentist you don't fully trust (don't! Do research! Ignore the siren call of Groupon!)—then maybe you should sit this procedure out. Most often, veneers are irreversible, because once the tooth is shaved down, it can't be unshaved, and you'll need to continue getting veneers for the rest of your life. The list of the pros can greatly outweigh the cons, but when considering veneers, just be aware that this is a lifelong kinda thing.
Are veneers painful?
At the very least, it's safe to say that veneers can be uncomfortable when it comes to the bonding portion (some people are sensitive to the bonding agent (like me, Dr. Apa did my teeth back in 2017 and I was in slight pain for an entire month but then it just went away one day)—and all of the appointments are time-consuming. Depending on how many veneers you're getting, you could be in the chair for hours (10 teeth could take about three hours), and, of course, will require at least a few spaced-out appointments.
Luckily, if you're scared of pain, rest assured that your dentist will numb you with a local anesthetic before starting the veneer process. It's also common for patients to experience dull or sharp pains for a few hours after anesthesia wears off, so consider Ibuprofen your best friend during that time period.
Days after the procedure, there is often an adjustment period where your bite might feel off and you feel zings of pain. If either occurs, your dentist can make slight changes to your teeth with a file (this sounds scarier than it is—dentists do this for regular fillings too) and clear away any excess microscopic pieces of cement stuck between your teeth (which is usually the culprit for any pain). That said, this is all temporary pain. Dr. Apa says that every single one of his patients forgets they’ve had their teeth done because they feel like their natural set after a month or so.
How much do veneers cost?
It all starts with the consultation, which, for Dr. Apa's patients, is $500 (while a consultation with his proteges are $250), but should you decide to move forward with the procedure, the fee goes toward the amount of your overall bill. At Dr. Apa's practice, each veneer, whether it's partial or full, costs $5,000 (his colleagues at Apa Aesthetics charge less per tooth), because each smile design is done by hand and the design is brought to life by a master ceramist.
But at other practices, depending on where you live, porcelain veneers can cost $1,000 to $4,000 per tooth, while composite veneers can cost $300 to $1500 per tooth. Can't swing that very, very large chunk of change? You're not alone. Dr. Apa recommends asking your dentist if he or she offers a payment plan because very few people can shell out that kind of cash all at once.
Do you have to brush veneers?
Now is not the time to retire that electric toothbrush. To keep your veneers looking amazing for the longest possible amount of time, you have to go to the dentist at least twice a year for cleanings and be consistent about brushing and flossing. Veneers are an investment that you have to take care of, just like your natural teeth. If you don't, you'll need to replace them sooner than the standard number of years.
And guess what? You can still get cavities with veneers, both around the veneer and underneath it. Veneers (whether they fully or partially cover the teeth) are not a set-it-and-forget-it kinda procedure, so again, you'll need to really take care of them to ensure they last as long as possible.
Are veneers worth it?
Every situation is different, so whether veneers are worth it to you depends on how you feel about your current situation, how much money you're willing to spend, and how much of a commitment you want to make. As is the case before any irreversible treatment, talk things over first during a professional consultation to go over the pros and cons of getting veneers so you can fully understand what you're getting yourself into—because veneers are forever (well, kind of).
And hey, depending on what it is you're trying to address, alternative options like orthodontics (braces or Invisalign) or teeth whitening might be good temporary fixes while you decide.
Meet the expert:
- Michael Apa, DDS, is a cosmetic dentist in NYC, LA, Miami, and Dubai. Dr. Apa has appeared on numerous television programs and amassed an Instagram following of over 600k people, with whom he shares his remarkable before-and-after patient photos.
Why trust Cosmopolitan?
Carly Cardellino is a beauty writer, consultant, and content creator. She is the former beauty director at Cosmopolitan and has worked with numerous publications, including Byrdie, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, and Into the Gloss.
Carly Cardellino is a seasoned beauty expert and the former beauty director at Cosmopolitan.
