Are No Prep Veneers The Answer To Life, The Universe And Everything?
What Is The Answer To Life, The Universe And Everything?
We’ve known since 1979 that the answer to that is 42.
It’s always been 42, according to supercomputer Deep Thought and the seven-and-a-half million years it took to calculate that response to the ‘Great Question’: important news that was disseminated by the late, great Douglas Adams. Twenty-one years later, the sitcom Frasier had Marty, Frasier and Niles take a slug every time the word “veneer” was said during an episode of Antiques Roadshow.
That’s a milestone number, 21. And exactly half of 42. There’s gotta be something in that.
Although likely not.
Many years later when asked of the particular meaning of the number, Adams was succinct. “It was a joke,” he posted on an online forum. “It had to be a number, an ordinary smallish number, and I chose that one … I sat at my desk, stared out into the garden and thought ’42 will do.’ I typed it out. End of story.”
Still, it’s such a beautiful thing for it remain so entrenched in geek culture for … 42 years, plus five.
A hundred years ago, because the show must go on, Hollywood makeup artists started fashioning temporary dental covers from tooth powder and acrylic so that the likes of Joan Crawford’s root decay, Clark Gable’s gum disease damage and James Dean’s missing front teeth could be suitably disguised. When Shirley Temple’s baby teeth started falling out nobody had to know. Californian Dr Charles Pincus (1904-1986) had developed removable veneers by the late 1920s, and from this dentist to the stars a star was born that paved the way for cosmetic, bonded veneers.
At the turn of the new millennium, dental veneers were still the domain of actors, the very rich, and patients with significant dental issues – either through genetics or accident. Twenty-five years later, we’ve reached the point were Pantone 17-1230 is the new black, 50 is the new deluded 30, and unnatural teeth are the new natural.
The dental prosthetics market has more than tripled. 2030 is pegged as the year it will have increased by more than 70%. The current growth is predominantly driven by adults without any obvious or drastic dental imperfections; and most commonly in the 18-35 age group.
COVID-19, Instagram and TikTok happened to cosmetic dentistry. The pandemic had everyone zooming in on themselves on Zoom all day. Insta brought instantaneous comparisons, hypercriticism and aesthetic anxieties with TikTok counting reasons to be or not to be veneered 134.9 million times.
Appearance is viral and it’s hectic. Celebrities and influencers now set the pretty much impossible beauty standards the masses are literally giving their eye teeth for.
Ironically, thousands of patients risk not only their perfectly presentable and healthy teeth, but the veneers they’re spending their hard-earned on and shaving their enamel for, only minutely improves what they already have. They’re willing to forfeit what’s comparatively low maintenance, and with proper dental care has a good chance of lasting the whole of their life instead of eight-to-ten-to-fifteen years.
It seems to have become completely forgotten that the characters played by George Clooney, Julia Roberts and Ben Affleck for example, are fake – and so are their teeth.
No longer do we strive to achieve our personal best (how last century is that?) what women in particular aim for now, is perfection exaggerated to the nth degree: tiny, tiny waists, huge breasts and behinds attuned to cartoons. Men are certainly not immune to facial and body enhancements either; muscle contouring and augmentation are popular.
We all know about ‘Turkey teeth’ and ‘chiclets’ because it’s not easy for the average person to get well-made veneers. Even the best dentist knows that they’re only as good as their ceramicist.
There are few truly highly skilled dental craftspeople and because of their sought-after, extremely expensive work, they avail themselves to only the best dentists, who in turn access themselves to the top end of town and celebrities. Exceptional cosmetic dentists offer minimally invasive, composite-resin treatments. They’re painted onto teeth with extreme precision, along with the expertly crafted porcelain covers that beautifully imitate the fine textures of real teeth.
So are no prep veneers truly the answer to all this?
The trend for a flawless smile is still high, although it could change. Charisma is being attached to those in the spotlight whose teeth have remained au naturel like Timothée Chalamet, Aimee Lou Wood and Georgia May Jagger.
As people become more aware of the risks of shaving your teeth down, the more motivation there is in finding more conservative options.
Not everyone is suitable for no prep veneers, also known as prepless veneers. Those with severely discoloured, or larger teeth generally do better with traditional veneers. And although they sound like they are, they’re no cheaper. In fact, often they’re more expensive.
Overall, the process is the same as ordinary veneers. Your dentist cleans and polishes your teeth and takes 3D scans radiographs and digital images to create the prototypes. For no preps, to ensure the correct size, colour and new shape the prototype is placed directly on your teeth, rather than them being drilled down. As with traditional, the no rep fabrication process takes about two weeks and porcelain is used, although it’s much thinner.
Once they’re made, the veneers are ready to be placed on your teeth for final approval.
Plaque and bacteria are removed prior to bonding via a sterilisation procedure, and resin cement adheres the veneers. The original tooth remains entirely intact with no prep veneers, which is one of the advantages. Should you later decide for whatever reason to have them removed, it’s all done by laser and each reinstated tooth is in its original state.
It takes a lot more skill to create an aesthetically stunning and seamless result without removing tooth structure, which gives more room to work with. No prep is a technique that necessitates greater precision and more responsive professional dexterity.
The longevity of no prep veneers is of course highly dependent on both the execution and skillset of the applying practitioner, and patient post-treatment care in the short and long-term. When they’ve been bonded well, and maintained with proper brushing, flossing and regular dental check-ups, they can last up to 20 years.
It’s an answer that’s not 42, but 42 was only ever the answer to an ordinary, smallish number from a desk that looked out onto a garden. Having a smile that’s full of confidence can indeed feel like the answer to life, the universe and everything.
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Services We Mentioned:
Dental Veneers
Cosmetic Dentistry
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