Anyone got porcelain veneers done?

Pros and Cons? How long does it last? Does it look bulky? How much? Thanks

Anyone got porcelain veneers done?
Pros: If you have crooked teeth or chipped teeth, they can instantly give the appearance of perfect teeth without braces or crowns (they completely grind the tooth down for a crown, which leaves an unnatural gap between your tooth and the gum and requires extra attention). A person's teeth/smile is always on the top list of "first noticed" factors.





Cons: The procedure consists of the dentist removing a portion of your tooth's natural enamel (which protects against decay and gives the tooth strength) then gluing a veneer on top of the newly created space. Therefore, it's not normally bulky (unless it's to make up for a severe misalignment), it's nice and pearly white, but you've compromised your natural tooth structure. Veneers are semi-long term (9+ years), but not permanent solutions--as in keeping your natural teeth intact. Instead of say your front teeth having one solid surface taking the brunt of biting force, you have a semi-split surface. They can and do sometimes come off, or, if there are ANY miniscule gaps in the adhesion, decay can set in, causing unnoticable damage to your permanent teeth, until it requires a root canal and a crown.





There are orthodontic procedures available for adults that are barely noticeable and can correct crooked teeth without compromising the natural tooth in any way. As for whitening, there are professional treatments available that will have dramatic results and last for several months, and cheaper store methods (that will work, albeit taking much longer and not to as high of whitening level) but neither will compromise the natural tooth as much as removing the enamel.





Don't be fooled. Dentistry is big money, especially cosmetic dentistry and with the steady increase in good oral hygiene, a lot of dentists are solely looking for ways to increase their profit, not necessarily maintain healthy teeth (yearly checkups and cleanings).