Experts report that patients are more interested than ever. But is this really a new trend, dealing with poorly done traditional veneer coverage, the evolution of cosmetic dentistry, or a combination of all three?
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What is No Prep Veneer?
Veneers can be thought of as custom-made porcelain (or composite resin) shells that are permanently glued to natural teeth to address issues such as color, chipping, gaps, and more. To make room for the shell, your natural teeth are “prepared”. There, a small amount of enamel is removed.
No-Prep veneers have an ultra-thin shell so you don’t have to remove the enamel and have space.
“When we’re talking about veneers that aren’t ready, that means we’re not preparing our teeth as we do for traditional veneers,” explains California cosmetic dentist Joseph Field, Los Altos of DDS. “That means there are some limitations to what we can do.”
This means that not everyone is actually a candidate for No Prep Veneer. “If you align your teeth or have naturally large, bulky teeth, you may not be able to treat you with veneers that are not ready. “If you have dark stains on your teeth, the light porcelain may not completely hide the discoloration.”
What is behind the rise in popularity?
No-Prep veneer has some important benefits that make it a popular option.
“First, anesthesia is not usually required,” explains Dr. Lewis. “We can preserve natural tooth structures and the porcelain is very thin. This reduces the chances of gum problems associated with other bulky no-prep veneers.”
From a cosmetic dentist’s perspective, No-Prep veneers are nothing new. Instead, the current rise in their popularity is a sign that changes consumer attitudes towards bad dentistry.
The circle of trends
“The first time no prep vener came to the scene was a product called Lumineers,” says Dr. Field. “And while they were very thin and gained a lot of popularity for not preparing the tooth structure, when they were applied to patients who were not good candidates, you began to get that bulky tic look to them, which gave them a very bad reputation.”
In response, consumers returned to traditional veneers from this early no-prep option. In other words, if the “turkey teeth” dental case is bad, we’ve started gaining traction in the news. Read more about horror stories where natural tooth structures are actively removed to give way to poorly fit and unnaturally-looking veneers, and consumers are once again looking for unprepared options to keep their teeth safe.
“Many dentists use overly aggressive preparatory techniques for veneers,” says Nathan Hoffman, DDS, a cosmetic dentist in Chicago. “This is an outdated method, but unfortunately, many dentists lack the skills and experience needed to successfully employ minimal dental preparation techniques while ensuring the right space for the veneer.”
Trend or evolution?
But good cosmetic dentists, whether they do no prep or traditional veneers, don’t sacrifice a lot of healthy enamel. “In the dental procedure, maintaining the maximum amount of healthy, natural dental structure is important for long-term success and proper oral health,” says Dr. Hoffman. “This is especially true for veneers.”
“It’s very important to note that for people who are good candidates, No-Prep veneers are a great option, but that doesn’t make traditional veneers a bad option at all,” says Dr. Field. “No-prep veneers are an evolution of veneer technology, but they don’t work for everyone. For well-trained cosmetic dentists, they are not new trends, they are important parts of the toolkit.”
In fact, there is no trend for quality cosmetic dentists. “When people come in and say, ‘I only do veneers if they’re no prep’, it sets the whole treatment for failure,” says Dr. Field. “Great cosmetic dentists always consider no prep and minimal preparation as options first. However, if the patient is not a good candidate, there are many options, including traditional veneers that can achieve the patient’s goals without sacrificing the structure of the teeth or resulting in an unnatural appearance.”
