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Talksurgery adheres to the Health On the Net Foundation's Code of Conduct
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My Veneer Journey
Pros:
straight teeth without braces
fixed grinding problem
fixed gum chewing problem
fixed chipped tooth
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Cons:
Expensive!!!
Many hours in the chair
Learning how to talk again
Still some slurring of words
Long term effects unknown
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Cost:
10,000
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Healing time:
2 months
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Pain-o-meter: 6
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I had braces in high school, but only wore them for a year. I was not good about wearing the retainer and slowly but surely the teeth moved back to their original position and got even worse over the years.
At 36, I was embarrassed by my teeth, I would always cover my mouth when I laughed. Of course no adult said anything, but as a mother of a 5 year old, I received the honest but brutal message from my son and many of his classmates that my teeth we like 'Dracula', were yellow and 'not even normal'.
It's something I wasn't pleased with even without the kids unsolicited input, but I thought for many years that this was the hand of cards dealt me and that I should be accepting of my teeth.
Well, after I tested the kids view with a few of my close friends, we had a good laugh and they shared that they had the same impression, but would never be brave enough to say anything with out me asking for such feedback. One suggested I go to a cosmetic dentist and see what they could do. So I saw 4, asked lots of questions, and listened to all my options.
I also learned that I suffered effects from 2 conditions I also had: 1) grinding my teeth and 2) chewing my gums. With all 4 doctors, the unanimous recommendation was veneers to solve all 3 problems at once. I said cool. But then the choices came along....how many top, how many bottom, color....and at $1400 - $800 per tooth (varied by doctor), this choice was significant.
In the end I went with 8 on top & 6 on the bottom. I also didn't do the whitest (Regis Philbin white), but a 110 which was the same color as the whites of my eyes (this created a really natural color balance on my face). So we began the procedure, which took about 2 months to complete and about 18 hrs total in the chair with local anesthetic (but awake).
The process is intense; they grind your real teeth down and create models for the new teeth to go on top of the nubs. They also build temporary teeth to get size & shape right, then take an impression to have the veneers made. You wear the temporaries for about 3-4 weeks while you wait for the real ones to come in. The temporaries is like one big tooth spread across your mouth, so you can't really floss, this was weird to adjust to at first.
Then the temps come off and the real ones go on. This is a critical step because there is no turning back. Then after about a week of wearing the real ones, then they are shaped and adjusted more to get a good bite and sizing.
All in all, I'm glad I did it. I do have a slight slurring of words that I'm adapting to - not noticeable to others, but I notice it. Also next month my dentist will do some more adjusting to hopefully fix the slur if I don't adapt.
Also, I never would have believed that not being able to grind my teeth or chew my gums would have such an effect. My anxiety rose quite a bit the month after. My dentist said it was common when the grinding and gum chewing stop right away due to changes in my bite and teeth and I took away my stress outlet. I just added some more exercise to my day and it's no problem.
This extensive a veneer process is not for everyone - but for those who are willing to find and pay for a board certified dentist that specializes in this procedure, can sit in the chair for a long time, is comfortable with change and can be flexible and reasonable about their expectations - this is a great way to solve many problems usually treated with braces, bionators, grind guards or jaw surgery.
One last thing, talk to several doctors and listen, applying veneers is an art as much as a science...you need to find the one who can be excellent at both. Good luck, I hope my story helps.
Here are more details:
How results differed from what I expected:
Very close but I didn't expect the slight slurring or the effect of loosing my stress buster (sleeptime grinding).
Biggest fears pre-procedure:
That it would not be even close to my expectations
Healing aids used:
Asprin
Peroxide washes
New stress reliever/exercise
(lost my ability to grind teeth = needed another outlet)
Number of doctors consulted:
4
Number of years I thought about having the procedure:
6 months
Had an elective procedure before:
Yes
Complications or follow-up procedures:
I have one tooth that has been a little sensitive to flossing and bleeds easily even though there is no plaque build up.
I have had a slight slurring of words because of the repositioning of my front teeth that I'm learning to adapt to.
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This information is not to substitute for professional medical advice. You
should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or
disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider. Please
consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have
regarding your condition.
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Gender:
Female
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Age:
37
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Ethnic group:
Caucasian
Education:
Post-graduate degree
Country:
United States
State/Province:
California
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Obesity increases our risk for five of the leading causes of death -- heart disease, stroke, diabetes, atherosclerosis and some types of cancer
(Source: the Role of Weight Management in the Health of Women" by Sachiko T. St. Jeor, professor and director of Nutrition Education and Research at the University of Nevada, School of Medicine)
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