You can get porcelain veneers and not have regrets by researching your options and getting your questions answered upfront. This article further explores how choosing the right dentist can help you avoid regrets about porcelain veneers. It also gives straightforward answers to questions about veneers and links to detailed articles if you want them.

How Can You Choose a Dentist for Porcelain Veneers?

You can choose a dentist for porcelain veneers by looking for one with advanced cosmetic dentistry and ongoing interest in the latest technology, tools, and techniques. What can you look for in a cosmetic dentist?

• Memberships or accreditation in the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, or both
• Advanced training in occlusion (how your upper and lower teeth meet when you close your mouth)
• Advanced training from the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies
• Published articles on cosmetic dentistry
• Roles as a lecturer or instructor in cosmetic dentistry

Although the dentist you choose may have only some of the above qualifications, look for evidence of their commitment to excellence in the art of smile makeovers with porcelain veneers. Get more details on finding a cosmetic dentist for porcelain veneers.

What Can You Expect from a Skilled Cosmetic Dentist?

If you choose a skilled cosmetic dentist, you can expect a natural-looking smile makeover that enhances your facial appearance. You will enjoy these benefits:

• An upfront discussion about how porcelain veneers affect your teeth and smile and whether they match your preferences and needs
• A customized smile design that complements your facial features and personality
• High-quality veneers that look natural
• Personalized care from a dentist who ensures you love every detail of your smile

What Should You Ask During a Porcelain Veneers Consultation?

During a porcelain veneers consultation, you should ask questions like these:

• How much experience do you have with cases like mine?
• What is your process, and how long will it take?
• What happens if I don’t like my temporary veneers?
• May I see patient photos of your porcelain veneer cases?

The following porcelain veneers questions and answers review concerns that people have before or after getting veneers. Each answer has a link to a detailed blog post on the topic. The information can help you in these ways:

• Choose a dentist
• Learn from patients’ experiences and questions
• Decide what you want from your smile makeover

What Is the Cost of Porcelain Veneers?

Porcelain veneers cost $2,000 to $5,000 per tooth in the U.S., but your cost will depend on several factors, including:

• Your oral health
• The condition of your teeth
• Dental fees in your region and state
• The quality of the porcelain veneers
• Your dentist’s process and costs for achieving lifelike results

You can expect higher fees from a highly skilled cosmetic dentist. For details about the cost, read our post on the cost of porcelain veneers per tooth.

Will Insurance Help You Pay for Porcelain Veneers?

Porcelain veneers are cosmetic treatment, and your dental insurance may not provide any benefits if your procedure is for cosmetic reasons only.

• Ask your dental insurance company about plan benefits.
• Ask your dentist for a pretreatment estimate for the insurance company to determine whether you can benefit from any aspect of your porcelain veneers treatment.
• Ask the dentist you choose whether they are in-network with your insurance plan.

Please read our post about dental insurance for porcelain veneers.

Do Certain Medical Conditions Affect Porcelain Veneers’ Success?

Most people are candidates for porcelain veneers, even if they have chronic medical conditions.

• Healthy gums
• Healthy teeth
• A commitment to caring for your veneers daily as with natural teeth

Still, if you have an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and impacts your gum tissue, talk to a cosmetic dentist about your concerns to ensure you will not regret getting porcelain veneers. Our blog post on sleep apnea and porcelain veneers explains how sleep disorders can affect oral health.

Can You Remove Porcelain Veneers?

A patient cannot safely remove their porcelain veneers. Nevertheless, some patients ask about removing porcelain veneers for these reasons:

• Dissatisfaction with how the veneers look or feel porcelain veneers
• Unawareness of how a dentist attaches veneers to your teeth
• Fear of having something “permanent” attached to their teeth
• Concerns about what happens if they do not like the veneers

Get details from our post about porcelain veneers removal.

Can You Fix a Cracked Tooth with a Porcelain Veneer?

Whether a dentist can restore a cracked tooth with a porcelain veneer depends on the tooth’s location and condition and the extent of the crack. Sometimes a cracked tooth also has internal damage. A cosmetic dentist must take an X-ray and examine your tooth to determine your treatment options. Read about a dental onlay as an alternative to a porcelain veneer.

Should You Get Dental Crowns Instead of Porcelain Veneers?

You should not get dental crowns instead of porcelain veneers unless you do not have enough healthy tooth structure for porcelain veneers. Even then, an advanced cosmetic dentist will determine whether a custom porcelain onlay can preserve and restore your tooth. If a dentist recommends replacing porcelain veneers with dental crowns, consult an accredited cosmetic dentist.

Can You Switch Dentists If You’re Unhappy with Your Veneers?

You can switch dentists if you are unhappy with your porcelain veneers treatment. We encourage you to avoid needing to change dentists or regretting that you have porcelain veneers by carefully selecting a skilled provider. But, if you must switch dentists, read our post about how to do it.

Why Would Your Gums Look Puffy Around Your Veneers?

Gum tissue inflammation around porcelain veneers may occur for these reasons:

• Gum irritation or disease
• Unhealthy bonding of your porcelain veneers can cause gum inflammation
• Oral hygiene habits

But puffy gums around veneers are preventable. Learn how to avoid this concern in our post about gum inflammation and porcelain veneers.

How Long Will Your Porcelain Veneers Last?

According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD), porcelain veneers last an average of five to twelve years. But in some cases, veneers may last up to twenty years. You can support the lifespan of your veneers with daily care and regular exams from a skilled cosmetic dentist and hygienist. Tell your cosmetic dentist if you grind your teeth so that you can get a custom nightguard to protect your smile makeover.  Read an example of problems arising in our article about porcelain veneers that break.

Do Porcelain Veneers Stain?

Intact porcelain veneers are colorfast and don’t stain or darken. However, damage to the glaze on a veneer can attract stains. Also, if a tooth’s condition behind a veneer deteriorates, a darkened tooth can show through the translucence of a porcelain veneer. Learn more about when darkening porcelain veneers may require replacement.

We will continue adding questions to this article and our blog post as a resource for your questions about porcelain veneers, so check back often. We encourage you to take the time to get porcelain veneers you will love—without regrets.

Dr. Brian LeSage, a Beverly Hills accredited Fellow of cosmetic dentistry, sponsors this post. Visit Dr. LeSage’s cosmetic dentistry smile gallery to see examples of his custom porcelain veneers.