The next time you see a movie star on screen looking like a million bucks with their perfect smiles, know that they’ve had some expert help.
The list of film stars with “veneers” is both exhaustive and surprising. There’s Victoria Beckham, Aishwarya Rai, George Clooney, Catherine Zeta Jones, Cheryl Cole… and the list goes on. These celebs have opted for the best of what high-end dentists have to offer porcelain veneers that wrap around the teeth to bridge ugly gaps, hide stains and generally brighten the smile.
The process is simple. Veneers are installed on top of the teeth after a tiny bit of the masher is shaved off to accommodate materials ranging from porcelain to other composites. Innovation in this field has also led to porcelain veneers being directly embedded to the tooth’s enamel, making the procedure permanent.
In fact, veneers have become one of the most sought after dental procedures and the technology has progressed so much that these little “image enhancers” are absolutely non-intrusive. “The procedure is definitely on the rise,” says Dr A.P. Mohan from Hyderabad’s Sai Dental Surgery.
“Not just movie stars, almost everyone is now extremely image conscious and wants to be seen as someone with perfect dental hygiene. So yes, the market for this procedure is only going up. The past two years have seen a huge rise in the number of procedures and this is also because demand is matching the supply.”
The costs for such a procedure though, could set you back a bit. A single veneer, for a tooth, can range from Rs 8,000 to Rs15,000, depending on the material used. To replicate George Clooney or Cheryl Cole’s veneer, the bill will go into six figures. Also, porcelain veneers cost much more. Data shows that in the US, prices can hit unto $1,000 for a single tooth.
“But technology has allowed veneers to become permanent. These days, procedures last just one sitting and there’s no need for ‘periodic servicing’ and life can continue without special advisory,” adds Dr Mohan.
And the benefits are immense. Veneers help hide gum recession, smoke stains and fix the general symmetry of the jaw. Also, the boost in one’s confidence after the procedure is a major factor.
You have to, however, be careful. The procedure is strictly for adults. Experts have also claimed that introducing veneers to forcibly straighten teeth can be harmful, especially for younger people.
Some doctors have also doubted the working life of a veneer with many saying that these abet gradual degradation of teeth.
